Under the Blood Moon
by CrazyOtaku13
Summary: Set in a Medieval-esque AU, Natalia Romanova is a young princess engaged to King Odin's son, prince Loki. However, Natalia finds herself falling for witch hunter Clint Barton. In a kingdom haunted by evil witches and secrets, is romance the biggest problem in a young princess' life? Some Clintasha, but mostly Blackfrost. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first medieval/fantasy story, as well as my first AU. I've had this idea for almost a year and it all finally started coming together. Inspiration comes from The Hollow Crown series, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Other Boleyn Girl, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, and I'll later incorporate some elements from Brave (the Disney movie, yes). I hope you guys enjoy!**

"I don't see why we should have to travel all this way just to meet a suitor," a fifteen-year-old Natalia pouted. She crossed her arms in defiance and wrinkled her nose. "I have no desire to marry." Her long, red curls swept to the side as she stared out the tiny carriage window. The stagecoach had just crossed a bridge and entered into a bustling village.

"This is what your parents wanted for you, my Lady," Ivan Petrovich advised the rebellious princess. He lowered his head, recalling the late King and Queen Romanov. The fire that took them was a most unfortunate incident, but the young Natalia's life had been saved, just as the Queen wished. "Your Father had arranged this marriage just after your birth. Do you not trust your Father's choice of which family you will marry into?" he asked. Natalia remained silent, her lips pursed and eyes narrowed. "King Odin's youngest son is quite the catch from what I have heard." A smile formed beneath his thick moustache. "Your parents only wanted the very best for you, Lady Natalia."

"**Don't **speak, Ivan!" the red-head snapped, shooting her guard an icy glare. She didn't want to hear any more about her parents whom she had recently lost.

Ivan kept silent, obeying the wishes of the young princess.

As much as Natalia detested the idea of marrying a complete stranger, she knew that she needed to go through with it. She was born with royal blood and into royal blood she would marry. After listening to only the clopping of horse's hooves against cobblestone and the rickety carriage wheels, Natalia finally spoke. "Promise you won't leave me, Ivan," she said quietly.

The tall, dark-haired man smiled for her. "Never, my Lady," he vowed.

A trumpet began to blare and Natalia scooted herself closer to the window, hoping to get a better look at her new home, the land of Asgard. Her red velvet dress got tangled up around her legs as she tried to stand up. She let out a quiet growl as she pulled up the bottom of the dress in an effort to move her feet.

"Natalia, your dress!" Ivan warned her. "Please sit, my Lady. You must look presentable for the King."

The Princess caught sight of a dark-skinned man clad in gold armor, hailing her arrival. The carriage came to a halt and the man opened the door for her. "Lady Romanova," he said in a monotone voice. "Welcome." He outstretched a large hand for her.

She nodded and took his hand, allowing for him to help her out of the stagecoach. "Thank you." Ivan followed after her and stood faithfully at her side. The man called Heimdall bowed for his future queen and Natalia curtsied back. She then turned her head to the side and stared in awe at the massive castle of gold looming before her. The palace was far grander than anything she had ever seen back home. She craned her neck, looking up towards the heavens to see the castle's pinnacle.

"Here they come," Ivan whispered into the red-head's ear. "Be a Lady," he reminded her.

Natalia's eyes darted away from the sky. She stared straight ahead towards the gold-paved entryway where four figures emerged.

The first to approach them was King Odin himself. He was dressed in his finest gold armor with a red cloak flowing behind him. Next to him was his Queen, Lady Frigga.

"My King and my Queen." Natalia lowered her head, her hair falling into her face as she curtsied.

"Welcome, Lady Natalia, to our home," Odin beamed. His white hair and beard glistened like newly fallen snow.

"Thank you very much for inviting me," Natalia began. She tried her best not to gawk at the golden eye patch that rested over the King's right eye. It wasn't lady-like to stare. "It would be my honour to marry your son," she continued, staring behind Odin and his wife in hopes of catching a glimpse of the infamous Prince Loki.

Out from behind the King stepped a young man with short, light brown hair. At first glance, he didn't look to be a prince what with his clothing of black leather and a set of archery equipment slung across his back. His blue-green orbs met with Natalia's, making the princess' face flush.

Natalia opened her mouth as if to speak, but words failed to come out. The man standing before her had a kind, handsome face that made her chest tighten and her heart race as fast as a horse. She wasn't one to believe in romantic love-in her opinion, it was a childish emotion. Her parents' marriage was prearranged-they never married for love, even though they acted tenderly towards one another. Natalia didn't know what true love was supposed to feel like. Sure, she had read many stories revolving around romance, but she never experienced the passionate emotion for herself. It wasn't until the young man began to smile that Natalia wondered if _this_ was what true love was supposed to feel like. She managed a shy smile for the man just before he began to speak.

"Allow for me to serve you in any way, my Lady," he said, his eyes not once leaving her gaze. "I am Clinton Barton, the King's guard."

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. He wasn't her prince, after all...

"I see you already have a guard," Odin noted, smiling at Ivan. "But Clinton has been very loyal in serving my family and fighting witches."

_Witches. _The very word was enough to make Natalia cringe and clench her fists. It was because of foul creatures such as those that the deadly fire started in the Romanov home. She felt Ivan's hand on her shoulder and she forced herself to remain composed.

"Oh, Loki, dear, don't be shy." Frigga said suddenly. She turned around, motioning for her son to step forward.

"I'm not being shy, Mother," a deep, silky voice laughed. "I was simply waiting for an introduction."

Natalia finally tore her eyes away from those of Clinton Barton to get a glimpse of her future husband. He was attractive, she couldn't deny that. His slicked back raven hair and porcelain skin gave him a very princely look.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Natalia," Loki beamed. "You are most beautiful," he added, taking her delicate hand in his to kiss it. Loki's emerald eyes glanced up to admire her face. He couldn't help but notice that the light in her jade eyes had faded as she stared back at him. She also failed to give him that bashful grin which he had just seen her giving the guard-boy. Loki couldn't let his disappointment show, though. He simply needed to make a better impression on the woman he would soon call his wife. And oh, how he wanted to make her smile. Just one look at her fiery red hair from over his parents' shoulders was enough to mesmerize him. Now that he could finally see her lovely face, he knew that this was love at first sight. She made his chest ache and his heart want to sing sweet songs of passion. There were no women in Asgard who he could compare her natural beauty to. Natalia Romanova was one in a million, what with her flowing crimson curls and full lips. Loki was determined to make his queen gaze upon him with lust-filled eyes.

"My Lord," Natalia said in a distant tone. Her eyes flickered over to Clinton for a brief second and she felt Loki's grip tighten around her fingers. Staring back to her prince, she saw that he had a kind smile across his lips.

"Allow me to escort you inside, my Lady," he coolly told her.

Natalia turned to Ivan and watched him nod in approval. The red-head gave in and allowed for Loki to lead her inside. She was truly curious to see what wonders his palace held. "Please, call me Natalia," she said softly once they were out of earshot from the others.

"Natalia," he breathed, enjoying the sound of her name passing his lips. "Of course." He stopped just before the castle doors. "You may call me Loki, if you wish." The prince smiled and opened the door for her.

The inside of the palace was even more grandiose than the outer walls. Natalia walked along the marble floors, letting her dress trail behind her.

"You and I will one day sit upon the royal throne as King and Queen," Loki commented.

Natalia eyed the staircase leading up to four thrones made of gold and only the finest precious stones. She assumed that the third and fourth thrones belonged to the King's two sons. "I don't really wish to be Queen," she admitted, absently eying the tapestries lining the walls.

"You are like my Brother, then," Loki chuckled. He clasped his hands behind his back as he sauntered towards her.

"Oh?" she arched a brow in curiosity as she watched Loki. Natalia had wondered where the eldest Odinson was hiding.

"Thor," he said, glad to have her undivided attention. "He chooses to hunt witches and fight as a warrior, rather than rule a kingdom."

She lowered her head to stare at the floor. _Again with the witches_, she thought to herself.

"He is truly missing out," Loki continued. A brave hand reached out to gingerly grab Natalia's chin. "You are by far the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes upon."

Natalia rolled her eyes, wondering just how genuine his boyish charms were. "Do you say that to every woman?"

Loki began to chuckle softly. "To my Mother on more than one occasion."

"She's quite beautiful," Natalia murmured. She stared up at Loki beneath her long lashes. Maybe, just maybe, he would start to grow on her. She smiled for him, wanting only to be polite and please the man she would soon share a bed with.

When Loki saw her smile his eyes lit up. He wondered if her earlier glances at Clinton Barton were all in his head. Now that she was smiling for him, things were looking up for Asgard's next King. "Her beauty pales in comparison to yours," he added with a wide grin. "My darling Natalia."

Their time alone was cut short once King Odin, his Queen, Clinton, and Ivan stepped into the castle. "I pray you two are getting along well," Frigga smiled.

"Yes. We are, Mother." Loki smiled and looked from his Mother, to Natalia. The corners of his lips abruptly turned down as he noticed Natalia stealing a longing glance not at him, but at Clint Barton.


	2. Chapter 2

"I hope everything is to your tastes, Natalia," Loki said after watching the young woman take her first bite of meat.

Natalia nodded as she chewed. "Very good," she finally said after swallowing. Out of everything served to her, she fancied the meat the most. It tasted different than what she was used to back home in the best possible way. She could still feel the prince's lingering gaze, so she looked up and smiled for him. Loki grinned back before quickly looking down at his own plate. Natalia looked around the long dining table and noticed that there was a plate of food before an empty chair beside Loki. She wondered if Clinton ever ate with the royal family. The table was certainly big enough for many more guests.

The swinging of wooden doors answered Natalia's question regarding the empty chair. A set of heavy footsteps were heard, accompanied by a hearty chuckle. "Father, Mother, you never said we would have guests dining with us!"

Natalia wanted to turn around, but she wondered if that was a lady-like decision.

"You're late, Thor," Frigga warned her son. "And filthy-where were you?"

After hearing the eldest Odinson's name, Natalia was now even more curious to turn around.

"Don't bombard the poor boy with questions," Odin told his wife with a smile. "Thor, we have Loki's betrothed, Lady Natalia, and her servant, Sir Ivan."

Thor approached the table so he could see what his brother's soon-to-be wife looked like. The first thing he noticed was her red hair, then the look of surprise on her face. He smiled and bowed his head. "Nice to meet you, Milady."

Natalia nodded, "A pleasure to meet you." She was surprised by how different he looked from Loki. It wasn't just Thor's blond hair that fell below his shoulders, but he was also more muscular and appeared to be a bit taller than Loki. His face and clothing were covered in grime, but Natalia assumed that it was due to hunting outdoors. He seemed just as kind as the rest of the Odinsons, making Natalia grateful for her benevolent new family. She watched as Thor took a seat beside his brother and whispered something that made Loki proudly grin. The more Natalia looked at Loki, the more she realized that they could hopefully have a happy marriage. He seemed to be a genuinely nice man and she hoped to learn more about him before the wedding.

After finishing a dessert of fresh berry tarts, the table was excused. Odin, Frigga, and Ivan needed to discuss documents regarding the royal marriage. Loki jumped at this opportunity to show Natalia around his home. "Do you enjoy books, Natalia?" he wondered.

"Yes. I do," she answered.

"I know just where to start the tour, then." Loki took Natalia's hand in his and led her out of the dining hall.

Natalia noticed Thor walking off in the opposite direction of them. Seeing the blond reminded her to ask about the secretive whispering. "Loki?" Her prince stopped in his tracks to acknowledge her.

"Yes, my Lady?"

"During dinner, Thor whispered something to you. What was it?"

Loki chuckled to himself. "He said that you and I look fitting together."

Natalia wrinkled her nose. "Our being aesthetically pleasing isn't going to help when we take the throne," she reminded Loki. "Besides," she continued, "we know nothing about each other. Who knows, we could very well hate each others' guts," she smirked.

This made Loki laugh even more. "Then will you care to tell me more about yourself? Tell me, Natalia, are you against this marriage?" he wondered, truly curious.

The red-head shrugged as the couple walked along a candle-lit corridor. "I won't say I'm against it," she admitted. "If anything, my becoming your queen will help unify my homeland to yours and strengthen it." At the end of the day, Natalia's reasons to marry Loki were purely political and nothing more. "However a friendship between us would be nice," she added.

"'Friendship,'" Loki repeated. "Not love?" There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Natalia watched his smile fall in the corner of her eye. "Maybe one day, a love will form between us. However, our key duty as King and Queen will be ensuring the well-being of our lands and working to bring an end to the witches," she finished with a huff.

Loki admired her willpower. Natalia was growing on him more and more. Yet her determination seemed to make her frustrated. Loki knew that witches were responsible for her parents' death, so was her attitude based on avenging her loved ones? "Alright," he finally agreed. "We have a deal." He stopped before a mahogany door and pushed against the brass handle to show her inside. "Here we are. My family's library."

Her mouth fell open upon seeing the walls lined from floor to ceiling with books. Natalia had never seen so many tomes in all her life. She stepped into the room and began wandering around, in awe.

The young prince watched her, admiring the look of wonder in her eyes. "Do you love reading that much?"

"I've never seen this many books before." She spun around, the bottom of her dress dancing along with her. "I like it here already," she smiled.

"I'm glad you are making yourself at home."

Natalia went over to a shelf and ran her fingers against a row of books. The Odinsons were truly wealthy to be able to afford so many volumes of lore. Her attention went elsewhere as she noticed a window overlooking the castle grounds. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky with shades of pinks and oranges. Looking down, she noticed a small wooden hut not too far off. "Who lives there?" she wondered.

Loki sauntered over to her side. He didn't need to look down to know what she was asking about. "Clinton Barton's quarters."

"Oh," she breathed. Natalia kept staring out, hoping to catch another glimpse of the young man. _He _was another person she wished to get to know better. "Is he alone? That seems dangerous to be so close the forest like that…"

"You're forgetting that he hunts witches for a living," Loki reminded her, crossing his arms. "Clinton is very skilled at his profession." He noticed Natalia still gazing out the window. Hoping to distract her from Clint, he grabbed her hand and led her to a bench near the fireplace. "How about you tell me more about yourself? About your home?" Loki prodded.

Natalia let the back of her fingers brush the animal fur that covered the bench. "Why don't you tell me more about Asgard?" she asked, looking him in the eyes. "This is my home now. I'd like to learn more about it…"

"Allow me to show you around in the morning, then," Loki decided. "Bring along Sir Ivan to escort us." Ivan, not Clint-that was Loki's intention.

She pursed her lips. "Isn't it dangerous for us to go out? Last I checked, the Blood Moon is close…" Natalia had always been cautioned about going out around the time of a Blood Moon. It was the one night every month when a witch's powers were at their peak. Even being out during daylight was said to be dangerous since some witches would steal innocent people away, feed on their blood, and have remarkable strength during the night. Witches and humans weren't meant to get along. They saw humans as a food source to strengthen their magic. Those born with royal blood were said to greatly increase a witch's magic, or so the stories claimed.

Loki gave her a reassuring grin. "My Father has only the best hunters stationed about the town. Asgard hasn't had a witch-related death in several years." He placed his warm hand over hers. "You are safe here, Natalia." His Father once told him that not every country was as lucky as Asgard in regards to witch attacks. Loki had always felt safe in his home, unlike Natalia who lost everything but her namesake and her servant. "You will _always _be safe here."

Natalia found herself lost in his eyes. There was an honesty in his words that made her believe him. She needed to believe him. After all, he would soon be her husband. "Thank you," she said softly.

He hopped up from the bench and went over to a bookshelf.

The princess turned to watch him, curious.

Loki soon returned and presented her with a book bound in worn green fabric. "It is a collection of old tales from my country," he explained as Natalia accepted the tome from his hands. "Perhaps you might enjoy this. My Mother used to read Thor and I this before bed many a times," he added with a chuckle.

A new book would be a welcoming distraction for Natalia whilst living in a foreign land with a new home and new people. Reading had always made her feel more comfortable. "I'll read this right away," she promised. Natalia averted her eyes towards the window. The sun was now hidden behind scattered tree branches and Natalia knew that she should excuse herself. "In the morning," she added.

"Of course." Loki nodded and escorted her to her room.

Ivan's room was just across the hall from Natalia's. He was just about to turn in for the night when he saw Loki and Natalia making their way down the hall. "I trust you have taken good care of her?" Ivan asked.

"My queen deserves only the best," Loki nodded. He turned to give his future wife one last smile. "Until tomorrow, my Lady." He kissed her hand before leaving her side.

Natalia watched him walk off, then turn a corner and disappear from her view. She hugged the book close to her chest and yawned.

"It has been a long day for you, my Lady," Ivan said. "Rest well."

"Same to you," Natalia replied. "Goodnight, Ivan." She entered her private chamber, eager to finally sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

_"My Lady, I've looked everywhere for you!" A knight dressed in silver armor approached Natalia on a white horse._

_Natalia stared up at the knight's silver helmet that hid his face from view._

_"My Lady?" he reached out a gloved hand towards her. "My Lady!"_

_The princess wondered who her knight could be. She couldn't place the man's muffled voice. "Take off your helmet. I want to see your face!" she ordered. Her knight nodded and began to remove his helmet._

"My Lady!" a woman's voice snapped.

Natalia's eyes fluttered opened she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It took her mind a moment to register that she was now in the castle of King Odin.

"Forgive me for snapping at you," said a young woman with dark hair.

Natalia sat up in her bed and stared at the stranger at her bedside. "It's no trouble…" Deep down, Natalia was hurt that she never got to see just who her knight in shining armor was. Even though it was a childish dream, Natalia was still curious to know.

"I'm Sif." The stranger interrupted Natalia's thoughts. "I'll be your handmaiden from here on."

"Oh," Natalia breathed. "It's very nice to meet you, then." She took a minute to look over the woman. Natalia noticed that Sif had a determined look in her eyes. She didn't seem too friendly at first glance-not once did she smile. Natalia also found her to be quite stunning. Sif's long dark hair that was kept tied back looked to be just as long as Natalia's, if not longer.

Sif's dark eyes narrowed as she eyed the princess. "If you don't mind, my Lady, you need to get dressed. Your presence in needed in the dining hall and I have business to tend to elsewhere," she flatly added.

Natalia was hesitant to let someone who looked to be about her age dress her. She had grown used to having much older handmaidens back home. "Do you enjoy living here?" Natalia decided to start up a conversation to ease the tension. Something told her that Sif wasn't the friendliest. She rose from her bed and allowed for the dark-haired maiden to lead her to a mirror that was fixed to a dresser.

"The King and Queen have been good to me." Sif grabbed a hairbrush from the wooden counter and began brushing Natalia's hair. Unlike Sif's straight hair, Natalia's curls were a mess to brush. The young handmaiden tried to be gentle, but the occasional knot forced her to yank against the princess' scalp.

Natalia sat completely still, her mind wandering. It wasn't until now that she had the chance to look around her bedroom. Staring into the mirror's reflection, she could see an armoire, a desk, and her own curtained window.

"Funny," Sif mused as she battled with a persistent knot, "you're not some whiny little priss."

The princess' attention focused on Sif's reflection. She swore that she saw the woman smile. "I'm not some weakling if that's what you thought," Natalia smirked. "And I know how to wield a dagger," she proudly added.

Sif laughed under her breath. "You'll get along well with the prince, then."

"And what makes you assume that?"

"A dagger is his weapon of choice," Sif told her. "He may seem soft-skinned, but he can hold his own in a fight," she continued. "He can never beat Thor, though-I think that irks him."

"So you three know each other well?" They seemed to be close what with the casual way Sif spoke of them.

The handmaiden paused for a second and lowered her eyes. "The Sif that the Odinson brothers have come to know is a different Sif from the one here before you."

Natalia arched a brow.

Sif smiled to herself, pleased to have baffled the princess. "Thor and the prince need not know of my serving you." Her voice had suddenly grown cold.

"Is this a matter of your pride?"

"You could say that…"

The red-head chose to keep quiet after that so Sif could finally dress her. Once Natalia was in a new, pale gold gown, she was escorted into the dining hall.

"Did you sleep well last night, my Lady?" Loki asked with a carefree grin. He and Frigga were the only ones seated.

"Very well. Thank you." Natalia wanted to be extra polite with the queen present. "Has Ivan awoken yet?"

"He and my husband have business to tend to, I'm afraid," Frigga answered. "Did you need him?"

Natalia shook her head. "I was curious, my Queen." She looked down and stared hungrily at the plate of fruit and bread before her. It took a lot of discipline for Natalia to eat slowly and delicately-she couldn't look like a pig with the queen and prince near.

"That's one of Mother's older dresses you're wearing now," Loki commented, still eying his princess. "Why, she looks almost as lovely as you, Mother."

"Such flattery." Frigga softly giggled.

"By the way, Mother," the prince continued. "I was hoping that once Sir Ivan finishes with Father, he could escort Natalia and I into the town-she wishes to look around."

Natalia stopped mid-chew to glance at Loki. She _did _want to explore, that much was true.

"Very well, then," the Queen agreed. "If you see your brother, tell him to be home for supper."

"I'll show you everything, Natalia," Loki promised, his eyes alight. He wanted to show her everything Asgard had to offer. "You will feel at home soon enough."

"Thank you, Loki." She offered him a small smile, then went to finishing her breakfast.

…

Loki wasn't shy at all around Natalia. He was excited to finally show her around. Ivan was still conversing with the king, so the castle grounds were the best place to begin exploring. "And over here is Mother's garden." He took Natalia's hand in his and showed her to a lush bush of blue roses.

Natalia eyed the flowers in wonder. The royal blue hue of the roses were exotic and beautiful. "I've only ever seen red ones," she said as she squatted down to get a closer look.

"They're quite rare, yes," Loki added. "And these are only the beginning of our gardens. Come, I'll show you more…"

"Careful neither of you poke an eye out," a voice said from behind the couple. "A thorn could cut you, Milady."

Natalia perked up the second she heard the man's voice. Although she had only heard it on one other occasion, she could immediately recognise it.

"We're fine here, Clinton, thank you," Loki stated as he rose to his feet.

The princess, too, got up and found herself finally staring into Clinton's eyes. "Hello again," she managed. His smile forced her heart to skip a beat.

Clinton bowed before her. As he glanced up, he noticed that her face had turned as red as her hair.

The princess and the hunter were lost in each other's eyes for what felt like hours. Neither dared break contact in fear of ruining something precious.

Loki noticed Clinton staring blankly at his fiancé. He turned to Natalia and noticed her flushed cheeks and the trance-like stare. The young prince was reluctant to break apart the silly staring contest. "Come along, Natalia. Let Clinton finish his work."

"Oh…" Loki's voice snapped Natalia out of her daze. "Yes. Sorry for bothering you, Sir Clinton." She gave the blond a quick curtsy.

"Clint's fine, Milady," he corrected her with a wide grin.

Loki narrowed his eyes at Clint's friendly request. Natalia was his, and his alone. He wasn't willing to share.

"Where are the two of you off to?" the hunter wondered.

"Into town," Loki said before Natalia could speak.

"Without someone to escort you?"

"We're waiting on Natalia's servant," the prince quickly added.

An idea popped into Natalia's head. "Why don't you escort us, Clint?" she asked nicely enough. "Who knows how much longer Ivan will be with the King…"

"Natalia, Clinton has duties that need fulfilling," Loki coolly remarked. "Who are we to interrupt him?"

Clint shook his head and laughed. "The Princess wants to look around _now_, my Prince."

Natalia flashed Clint a secret smile.

"It shouldn't be any trouble to show you both around. It'll be like I'm not even there," Clint promised.

The raven-haired prince heaved a sigh. "Very well, then," he agreed. If anything, Natalia seemed quite happy. That was what mattered most to Loki-making her smile. He took Natalia's hand in his and began walking alongside her down a paved dirt path.

Clint followed behind them, watching Natalia's curls as they bounced behind her. There was something about the young woman that lured him in. It wasn't her radiant, beautiful looks. When he was first introduced to her, she had stared at him as though he was someone special, someone who mattered. Natalia seemed to have eyes solely for him. No one had ever looked at him in such a way since he was a child.

"Do you have to travel through the woods a lot, Clint?"

Natalia's voice pulled Clint back to reality. "The woods? Yeah-it's not for anything big, though. Just the occasional 'witch rumour' and going out to chop firewood.

She turned around to smile at him. "Don't walk behind us. There's room on the path for three," Natalia reminded him.

Clint ignored Loki's grimace and reluctantly approached the princess' side.

"I saw your home from inside the castle," Natalia continued. "Do you live there with your family?"

His smile quickly faded as he lowered his eyes. "No. I live alone."

"And your family?" she prodded. "Maybe we can visit them in town."

"I…" Clint couldn't find the right words to say.

Loki stared at Clint in the corner of his eye. Not only was the prince saving Clint from explaining his personal matters, but he got back Natalia's attention. "We're approaching town, Natalia. I know of a man who sells lovely jewelry."

The red-head looked from Clint to Loki and nodded. "Okay." She followed Loki, leaving Clint on his own.

The hunter could have followed after the couple, but he chose to let them wander on their own. He wasn't quite ready to face Natalia and speak of his family quite yet…

"What do you think of this one?" Loki pointed to a particular golden necklace that immediately caught his eye. The emerald stone accompanying the piece of jewelry sparkled like Natalia's eyes. "This will suit you perfectly."

The princess was far too preoccupied with looking around her. There were many faces in the crowd, but none belonging to Clint Barton. "I think we lost Clint," she breathed. "We should go back."

Loki ignored her as he spotted a set of earrings to match the necklace. "He knows the town well. Do not fret for him, Natalia." His hand reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. _No piercing_, Loki told himself.

The prince's reassuring touch made her glance down in embarrassment. He was right-Clint knew his home well, so she had no right to worry. Right now, she was alone with her soon-to-be husband. She knew that this was a reason to be happy. "You don't have to buy me anything, Loki." She noticed the piece of gold jewelry in his hand.

"I want to. You deserve something special," he smiled. "And I refuse to take no for an answer."

Natalia watched him pay the elderly man running the booth. The thick smell of meat filled her nostrils and she wrinkled her nose.

"I'm only telling you what I heard-witches plan to strike on an upcoming blood moon."

The princess whipped her head around in time to see the man doing the talking. He had a thick beard of red curls which was currently stained with grease from the cooked turkey leg he was eating.

"All rumours, Volstagg!" said a familiar voice.

Natalia saw Thor walking behind the man and blinked. Accompanying King Odin's son was the burly man called Volstagg and three other men.

Loki overheard Thor's voice and sighed. "Wandering the streets again, Thor?"

Thor and his group of friends stopped before the prince.

"Honestly, you can be so irresponsible," Loki drawled.

"If I wanted to chat with Mother, I would have stayed home!" Thor's thunderous laugh filled the air.

The prince wrinkled his nose. "Speaking of Mother, she would like you to be on time for supper…"

"And you've brought Lady Romanova with you!" Thor continued.

The blond member of Thor's group stroked his goatee. "The Princess? My, how rude of me to forget my manners." He bowed, as did Thor and his friends. "Fandral at your service."

"Hogun, my Lady," said another.

"And Volstagg," the stout man holding the turkey leg chimed in.

Natalia noticed that one of Thor's friends appeared to be hiding from view.

Thor's brows furrowed in confusion. "I could've sworn Sif was just with us…"

"'Sif?!'" Natalia exclaimed.

Loki arched a brow in curiosity. "Do you know another man with that name?"

Natalia watched as Sif stepped forward.

"Pleased to meet you, Lady Romanova."

The voice didn't quite belong to her handmaiden Sif. It was a few octaves deeper. Natalia wondered if it was all a coincidence. However, the second he saw Sif's eyes glare into hers, she was certain that it _was_ her handmaiden. Was _this _what Sif meant about Thor and Loki knowing of a different Sif who wasn't a handmaiden?

Sif flashed the princess a look of warning, a look that said '_tell them and I'll kill you_.' The peasant hat that rested on her head hid her long hair and her male attire showed that Sif was clearly trying to fit in with the group of men.

Natalia was left puzzled as to why Sif would pretend to be a man, but she decided that Sif would explain later. Loki must not have known who her handmaiden was or he would have seen right through Sif's charade. "Nice to meet you all," she finally said, looking from Sif to Volstagg. "If you don't mind me prying, you mentioned witches a moment ago…"

Fandral shook his head. "All rumours, my Lady."

"Most likely gossip from the old butcher," Hogun quipped, making his friends laugh.

"So the five of you are knights?" Natalia questioned.

"Under King Odin himself, yes," Volstagg beamed.

Loki rested a hand on Natalia's shoulder. "You have nothing to fear, my queen. They may look like a bunch of fools, but they are brave and strong," he smiled.

"You take me for a fool, Brother?" Thor asked with a grin.

"On most days, yes." The prince took Natalia by the hand and began leading her away. "We still have much to see, my Lady."

Natalia managed to wave goodbye to Thor and his friends before she was dragged away. "They all look strong. All five of those men…" The thought of Sif hiding amongst them made her eager to learn more about Sif and her two identities.

The number of people in the crowd had picked up and many happened to stop and gawk at Prince Loki and his betrothed.

"Do you walk about often?" Natalia asked the prince. "You've attracted attention…"

"Or maybe _you _did," Loki teased. "Just hold my hand and we'll be on our way, my Lady."

Hushed whispers of 'the princess' began filling the air. The townspeople gladly stepped aside for the Prince as he brushed past them.

"So that's our Princess?" Natalia heard one person say. She overheard a "she's beautiful," and a "such a shame. What I'd give to be the Prince's wife." Loki was right-they _were_ talking about her.

"I heard witches killed her family," said a male voice.

"No- a fire," said another.

"Witches. Definitely witches that started the fire."

Loki felt Natalia squeeze his hand tighter. He turned around and noticed Natalia hanging her head in defeat. "Natalia?" Loki wondered if the crowds were too much for her. He wrapped an arm around her and led her to a desolate alleyway. "We'll explore around the castle grounds tomorrow," Loki decided. "It's much less crowded."

Natalia yanked her hand away from his and turned her back to the prince. Overhearing complete strangers mention her parents had overwhelmed her. And then the witches needed to be mentioned, too…She could suddenly smell smoke -a thick, inescapable stench that wouldn't go away. The chatter of the townspeople had quickly turned to screams and Natalia felt her knees give in beneath her.

"Natalia!" Loki grabbed her just before she collapsed. "Natalia, are you well?"

_No. _Natalia knew she wasn't well. She felt terrified. She missed her parents, she missed her homeland… She didn't _want _to be in Asgard! Hot tears spilled from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"Oh!" Loki gasped. "Natalia, please don't be upset!" He wrapped his arms around her small frame and hugged her tightly. "All is well, love," he hummed.

Natalia felt foolish for crying, but her emotions had gotten the better of her. Desperate for Loki's warmth, she threw her arms around him and began sobbing into his chest. Whenever she felt upset, she would always cling to her Father the same way.

"We're alone, now. It's just us-no herds of townspeople."

Her fingers grabbed the front of his dark green tunic. "They already know all about me," she sulked. "About my parents, about the witch, the fire…"

Loki gave her another gentle squeeze. He wasn't aware that loose lips were what left her so frightened. "Word gets out quickly," he admitted with a sigh. "I'm sorry…"

The princess stared up at Loki, her eyes red. "Tell me that Volstagg's talk of witches wasn't true! Tell me it was just a rumour!" Natalia felt her body tremble. Having to experience an attack on her own home was enough to scar Natalia for life.

Loki saw the fear in her eyes and he knew that it was his duty to help protect her. "Witch attacks are rare here," he assured her. "And my Father appoints only the best hunters." He reached into his pocket to show her the necklace he had bought earlier. "You, Natalia Romanova, are safe." His hands reached around her neck to fasten the necklace's clasps.

Natalia kept her gaze fixed upon Loki's eyes. His gentle voice was soothing like a parent comforting a scared child. So long as he was around, Natalia felt more at ease. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his finger brush against the back of her neck.

"There." Loki stepped back and folded his arms across his chest to better admire Natalia wearing the necklace he selected. "Beautiful."

His grin was enough to make her face flush, much like the effect Clint had on her. Finally, she was able to give Loki the genuine smile that he had been waiting for. "Thank you, Loki." She wasn't just thanking him for the necklace. Natalia was thanking him from the bottom of her heart simply for being by her side when she needed someone.


	4. Chapter 4

_"Natalia!" her knight beckoned to her, riding his valiant steed through a field of roses. _

_He was once again wearing a mask to conceal his face, but Natalia was determined to get a look this time._

_"I've found you!" He hopped down from his horse and slowly lifted his silver visor. _

_Natalia bit her lower lip as everything felt just like an adventure story. She let out an audible gasp as the knight's helmet was tossed aside. "Loki!"_

_His midnight black hair flowed in the wind. "At your service, my Lady." He took her hand in his and kissed it._

_"I knew it was you," she suddenly admitted. "All along…" _

_Loki stared at her, puzzled. "What about Clint Barton?"_

Natalia woke with a start. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could feel the drumming in her ears. The rush she felt from the dream felt like nothing she had ever experienced before. After Loki saved her from having a complete breakdown, he proved himself to truly be her knight in shining armor. _That _incident had to be the cause of the dream. Natalia was sure of it. Then again, she dreamt of a knight just the other night. Was it a sign that the Prince was her savior? Even so, why would Loki mention Clint's name? Natalia _did _have a hope that Clint was her knight, but that was before she knew that she could feel safe with the King's son. The princess felt proud to have such a kind-hearted man for a husband. She promised herself that she would learn to love Loki, just as he seemed to love her. Love was such a strong emotion and also a difficult one for the young princess. The only three people Natalia truly loved were her parents and her caretaker, Ivan-three people whom she had known from the day she was born. To find room in her heart for another person she just met was going to take getting used to. Loki's generosity was hard _not_ to find endearing, though… She reached for the necklace Loki gave her. Staring into the emerald gem was like looking straight into his eyes. "Loki," she said under her breath. A delicate smile formed at the corners of her lips. Just thinking about her prince filled her with joy. Maybe she was in love. But was love supposed to come so suddenly? The door to her room opened and Natalia set her necklace aside. "Sif," she said quickly. "Good morning."

Sif merely nodded as she went to stand before the mirror, taking the hairbrush into her hand.

There was an eerie silence between both Sif and Natalia amidst the princess' morning hair brushing. Natalia desperately wanted to question Sif regarding yesterday's surprising encounter, but the coldness in the woman's eyes made her keep quiet.

Sif set the brush atop the dresser and sighed. "You keep staring at me, my Lady," the handmaiden noted.

Natalia lowered her gaze so she could no longer see Sif's reflection.

"This concerns yesterday, I take it…"

"Nobody knows, do they?" Natalia's question came out faster than anticipated. "How do the King's sons not even know?"

"The Queen appointed me," Sif replied softly. "She knows of Sif the lady, not Sif the warrior."

Natalia stared into the mirror to eye Sif. "Why is that? You seemed awfully close with Thor and his friends-why hide as a man?"

Sif turned on her heel to hide from the princess' gaze. "I plan to tell them one day. Only when I achieve a heroic deed… That will show every man that a woman can be just as fierce in battle." Her voice was filled with confidence. "We're looked down upon, us women."

Natalia rose from her seat to approach Sif with a smirk. "You're very noble, Sif. If only I could join you…" Natalia had a newfound respect for Sif. She felt that they could potentially be good friends.

The dark-haired woman flashed her mistress a smile. "You can show your prince just how strong you are when it comes time to bear his child."

Natalia's face grew hot just thinking about engaging in the forbidden acts of producing Loki's heir. "That sounds a bit degrading. I can be strong without needing to have a baby!" the red-head huffed.

"But it's the only way a woman of royal blood can prove herself," Sif reminded her. "A noble woman like you wasn't born to hunt witches."

The corners of Natalia's lips fell. "Have you ever fought a witch?" she asked worriedly.

"No," Sif stated. She placed a reassuring hand on her Lady's shoulder. "Try not fret. The Prince expects your company in due time…"

…..

"Natalia, you look as lovely as ever." Loki noticed that she was wearing her new necklace. "I'm very glad to see that you like it-the necklace." He pointed to the emerald medallion resting below the pit of her neck.

She softly smiled and let her fingers trace against the stone's facets. "I think of you when I wear it now," she admitted. Her hand reached for his and she noticed his cheeks blanch. "What was it you wanted to show me first?" she wondered.

Loki composed himself and led her to the stables across from the garden. "There's someone I'd like for you to meet."

The scent of hay soon overpowered the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers. Natalia heard a whinny nearby and Loki began to run, pulling her along with him.

"I'm almost there, boy!" Loki shouted. He turned around to Natalia. "He's a smart boy! He already knows I'm near!" Loki laughed in a carefree manner as he approached a wooden gate. He held open the stable gate to let Natalia in first.

"You own a pet horse?" she inquired. Natalia stepped inside and tried to get used to the stench of hay and horses.

"Yes," he nodded, closing the gate behind them. "So does Mother, Father, and Thor." Loki sauntered over to the fourth and final stable and unlocked the pen. "Natalia, meet Sleipnir." He rested a hand against the horse's thick neck while the other gripped his reign. "Sleipnir, this is Natalia, my Queen," he said to the horse.

Natalia stared at the large steed in awe. Unlike the snowy white horse in her dream, this one had a coat of midnight black.

"Come, Natalia." The prince beckoned Natalia over. "Sleipnir is quite friendly."

She took a step forward and reached out a shaky hand.

"Don't be scared," Loki chuckled. "I promise he won't bite."

"I'm not scared!" she informed the prince matter-of-factly. Natalia wasn't used to being within petting distance of a horse. When she was small, her Mother warned her not to pet the carriage horses in case they scared easily. She never had a horse of her own and the only time she was ever around the majestic creatures was during her travels. "Hello, Sleipnir," she managed. "Nice to meet you." Loki guided the horse forward and her body tensed up. She quickly shut her eyes as she kept her arm outstretched in front of her. The feel of soft, silky hair nudged her palm and her eyes opened to see the horse's snout nuzzling against her hand.

"That's a good boy, Sleipnir," Loki whispered.

Natalia stepped closer and let her other hand caress the steed's mane. "You're very soft," she said to the horse as if it could understand her. "And so pretty."

"You'll make him grow vain if you talk like that," Loki teased.

As she ran her fingers against Sleipnir's cheek, she noticed that the raven black coat reminded her of a certain someone. "He looks like you, Loki," Natalia blurted out, not thinking about how ridiculous it sounded.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment!" the prince chuckled.

"Your hair-it matches," she stated. "You two look like you belong together."

He kissed the horse's nose. "He's been a dear friend to me since I was a boy. We truly _do _belong with one another."

Natalia loved seeing Loki's sweet and caring side. Seeing him dote on his horse was like looking at a father with his child. She was sure that someone as open-hearted as Loki would want several children of his own to love. Natalia wasn't fond of the notion, but she would gladly give Loki a baby if it would bring him joy.

"What are you thinking about?" Loki wondered, noticing the distant look in the woman's eyes.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Nothing," she said quickly. The happenings between a married couple in their private quarters were the last things an innocent princess needed to be thinking about.

"I know-I'll let you give Sleipnir a treat. He'll love you forever!"

"The quickest way to a man's heart is his stomach," Natalia mused. "Is that true for horses, too?"

"For my boy, yes," Loki crooned. "Nothing compares to a freshly picked apple."

Sleipnir sharply exhaled through his nose in reply.

"Natalia will pick you a nice apple," the young man promised. "Let's go, Natalia. I'll show you where Thor and I used to play as children." He trotted over to the gate and opened it back up. "We'll be right back, Sleipnir. You stay right there!"

"Does he really understand you?" the red-head wondered as Loki led her away from the stables.

Loki nodded, "they're smart creatures. Fascinating, too." He led Natalia towards a tree with a thick trunk. "Mother would always yell whenever Thor and I would climb this," he said, looking up into the leaves.

She averted her gaze from Loki's face to stare up at the tree. "Wow!" she gasped. The tree looked as though it was covered in snow. Tiny bouquets of white blossoms adorned each of the many branches and ripe, red apples hung like ornaments.

Loki grabbed the thickest branch within reach and started to climb.

"Be careful, Loki!" Natalia warned him. Just by watching his nimble footwork, she could tell that he was confident in his tree-climbing skills. He was up no more than ten feet high, but a fall would still be dangerous.

The prince sat himself up on a branch and reached for an apple. "Catch!" he yelled towards the ground.

Natalia stood beneath him and caught the piece of fruit in both hands.

"Get ready for another!" he laughed. Loki snatched two more apples and sent them down one by one to the princess. He then climbed back down and sat in the grass.

Natalia accompanied him under the shade of the tree. "You'll need to teach me how to climb this one day," she remarked, passing him an apple.

"Does my princess yearn for adventure?" He raised a brow in interest.

She recalled what she and Sif had chatted about regarding a woman's strength. Natalia liked the idea of adventure and showing that she could be tough. There were limits, though. She knew that she lacked the courage to become a warrior like Sif. "Perhaps she does…" Natalia answered before taking a bite out of her apple.

"Delicious, aren't they?"

Natalia nodded, still in mid-chew. After swallowing, she answered him. "I can see why Sleipnir is so fond of them."

Loki opened his mouth as if to speak, but instead took another large bite from his apple, creating a silence between the two. "I also managed this," he finally said. Loki set his apple down. In between his thumb and forefinger, he held a white blossom. "For you."

Natalia squeezed her unfinished apple tightly. The longing look in the prince's eyes made her heart pound in her chest. "Thank you," she stammered.

His hand reached out to weave the flower's stem into her hair. "There," he smiled. "Beautiful."

The princess' face flushed and she forced herself to look down at her apple.

"Natalia?" he questioned. "What is it?" A finger reached under her chin and lifted her head.

Their eyes met and the two stared at one another in complete and utter silence. Natalia feared that he could hear her thumping heartbeat and felt even more embarrassed.

Staring so closely at her face, Loki noticed her lower lip tremble ever so slightly. Was she scared? Nervous? The red flush coating her cheeks told him otherwise. Another glance at her full, luscious lips was enough to make him weak and give in to her womanly charms. He brought his face close to hers. So close, that he could taste the forbidden fruit against her tongue.

All Natalia noticed was that his face seemed to draw nearer to her own. Before her mind could process what was about to happen, the prince's soft lips were already caressing hers. Natalia gasped against his mouth. His hot breath mixed with hers and she longed to taste him some more. The apple fell from her hand and she practically threw herself into Loki's warm embrace.

Loki would have kissed her all night, but the need for air forced their lips to part. "Forgive me," he gasped, his forehead pressed to hers.

"Again."

He blinked, wondering if he heard the woman correctly.

Natalia looked up at him beneath her long lashes. "Kiss me again."

Weakened by desire, the young prince obliged to her whim. Off in the distance, a loud whinny was heard. Loki had to pull away just to laugh. "I'm sorry. Sleipnir must feel like we've abandoned him."

Natalia saw how red his normally pale face had become and she started to giggle. She grabbed her apple, then the one for the mare. "Okay," she said quietly. The two returned to the stables in an awkward silence. Natalia nibbled on her apple until Sleipnir was in sight.

"Just… hold out the apple," Loki finally said. He was still trying to recover from their romantic moment alone.

She did as instructed and presented the shiny piece of fruit to the stallion. "Look, Sleipnir," she cooed. "I hope we can be friends," she grinned.

Without a second thought, Sleipnir greedily ate up his treat straight from Natalia's open palm. He even licked away at the sticky juices, making her giggle.

"That's a good boy," Loki whispered, stroking Sleipnir's silky mane. "Maybe he'll even let you ride him," he said to Natalia.

Natalia wiped the horse slobber off onto her dress. "'Ride?'" she repeated, handing the remnants of her own apple to the horse.

"You've ridden a horse before, correct?"

"No, actually," she confessed. "I haven't."

Loki flashed her a mischievous smirk. "This will be another first for you, then."

Natalia swore he winked at her before climbing up onto his stallion's back.

"Take my hand." He outstretched his hand out to her.

The way the wind danced against his hair felt like this was all just another dream. "You're sure he's alright with this?" Natalia warily asked, glancing at the horse.

"He's very gentle," Loki promised. "We'll only go for a trot. What happened to that adventurous spirit?"

Natalia grabbed his hand. Her main reason to join Loki was solely to be closer to him. She hopped up with much-needed help from Loki. He made getting up onto the horse seem like an easy feat, but for a novice, it was a struggle. Once she saddled herself atop the horse, she placed her hands firmly against Loki's sides.

"You'll need to hold on tighter than that, my Queen," he chuckled. He clicked his tongue and Sleipnir's sturdy legs began to move.

Natalia locked her arms around Loki's middle, squeezing him and pressing her chest against his back. She felt herself bob up and down with the horse's trots, but she didn't mind. Right now, she was so close to her prince that she could feel his thin frame beneath his velvet shirt. Regardless of his tall, lanky frame, her hands could feel a defined set of abs beneath a layer of fabric.

"Here we go!" Loki announced. His hands tugged on the reigns, forcing the horse into a gallop.

The young princess had to bury her face into Loki's back to prevent herself from screaming. Her hair began whipping behind her. All she could hear were hooves repetitively thumping to match the pounding of her heart. When she finally had the courage to open her eyes, she noticed the blurred trees enclosing her surroundings. "The forest?" she exclaimed. "Loki! Go back!"

Loki tugged hard on the reins, forcing Sleipnir to stand up on his hind legs and neigh loudly.

Natalia screamed, unaware as to what was happening. She let go of Loki and crashed into a pile of leaves on the hard ground.

"Natalia!" Loki cried. Before he could reach out to her, Sleipnir took off in a mad dash towards the castle. "Sleipnir, no!" Loki barked.

The sound of hooves grew fainter as everything around Natalia went black.


	5. Chapter 5

Natalia felt a comforting warmth surround her body. "Loki?" she groggily mumbled.

"Shh. Keep quiet, my Lady." The voice didn't belong to Natalia's prince, but to Clint Barton.

She tried to open her eyes to see something besides darkness, but her body refused. "Where's Loki?" she worriedly breathed. Why wasn't Loki saving her? All she remembered was flying off of Sleipnir's back… Did Loki fall off, too? Her eyes fluttered open in a second and she found herself staring straight into Clint's blue-green orbs.

"Listen to me," Clint whispered, his face inches from Natalia's, "I need you to stay quiet."

Natalia obeyed, feeling a dull ache in the back of her head.

"I'm gonna get you out of here, alright?" Clint calmly reassured her. "You're okay, Nat."

She blinked, confused by what he had just called her. "'Nat?'" she repeated dumbly.

He rolled his eyes. "I just need you to stay calm…Sorry about that."

The princess shook her head, not offended by her new nickname in the slightest. It was highly improper for him to speak to his future queen in such a manner, but Natalia didn't mind. All her life, she had been Princess Natalia Alianova Romanova, but to Clint, she was just 'Nat,' a regular person. She felt his grip around her hand tighten. Natalia felt a stinging pain and glanced down to find that he was applying pressure to a cut on her palm.

"You're okay," Clint repeated once he noticed her eying the piece of blood-stained cloth. "It's just a tiny cut."

"Shouldn't you take me home?" she wondered. "They should have fresh bandages there…"

Clint's keen eyes gave the surrounding area a quick scan. All was quiet, except for the sound of wind blowing through the treetops. "Just a few more minutes," he said uneasily.

"Clint?" Hearing the doubt in his voice made the princess suspicious. Seeing the bloody rag tied around her hand made her mind come to one shocking conclusion. "Is it a witch?" she squeaked, fear slowly overcoming her.

There was no lying to her. Not when she already knew… "I can sense it," he murmured. "The Prince and his horse came running back to the castle. He claimed the horse was scared off. He was about to run back for you, but I couldn't let him," Clint growled. "I could sense a witch nearby, so I ran. Then I found you unconscious and bleeding…" He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Laying low is our safest option. But don't worry!" Clint's free hand pointed to the bow and arrows strapped to his back. "I'm armed and dangerous."

Natalia managed to smile. Yes, she felt safe. She knew that Clinton would risk his life to save a woman of royal blood. Something felt different about him in this moment, though. He sounded different-like she was hearing the _real _Clint Barton rather than the loyal and proper King's guard. "I trust you, Clint Barton," she promised.

The man grinned, relieved to have her trust. He took a deep breath, then took another look at the surrounding trees. The feeling of uneasiness had vanished. "We should be fine. Hold on to me, Princess." He secured his grip around her and prepared to lift her up into his arms. Natalia's body froze. "I'm just gonna carry you home," he offered.

"I can walk just fine!" Natalia stammered. She forced herself to her feet and suddenly felt dizzy.

"For somebody to black out, the injury could be serious... Just let me carry you."

She pursed her lips and silently agreed to let him carry her in his arms. Natalia didn't like getting the royal treatment, but if she was injured, then she made an exception.

"Does the Princess not like being pampered?" Clint teased.

Natalia wrapped her arms around his neck, inhaling the scent of leather and nature. "You have a bold way of speaking to your future queen," she finally commented.

"You're not going to have me beheaded, are you?" Clint jokingly remarked.

She let her head rest against his shoulder. "Of course not." The pain in the back of her skull was beginning to ache more and more.

Clint swore he heard her softly whimper, so he broke out into a sprint. "You'll be just fine, Milady."

"Nat," she whispered. "I like Nat better." Her eyelids grew heavy and she easily fell asleep in Clint's arms.

The archer smiled as he admired how defenseless and innocent she looked whilst sleeping. His thoughts were cut short, though, once Loki came running towards him.

"Natalia?!" he gasped. Fear overcame him once he noticed the redhead's closed eyes. "Oh, dear God, please tell me that she still lives!"

Clint mentally rolled his eyes at how dramatic the prince was reacting. "She fell asleep," he stated. "She's fine."

"Thank you, Clinton," he breathed, reaching out to stroke his future bride's hair. "You will be greatly rewarded for aiding her-I swear."

Staring at Loki's relaxed face, Clint suddenly couldn't blame him for overreacting. Natalia was to be Loki's wife. If Natalia was _his _to wed, then he, too, would worry for her safety.

"Let us make haste to the castle," Loki instructed. "The Doctor will need to be sent for immediately."

"Right," Clint firmly agreed. He knew that he couldn't let himself become _too _attached. Natalia wasn't his. Still, he vowed to care for her no matter what the cost.

"Barton," Loki continued. "Allow me to carry her."

Clint shook his head quickly. "There's no need to trouble yourself like that, Milord. I've got her."

"No!" the prince snapped. "Give her to me. You are to send Heimdall in search of the Doctor."

Unable to refuse an order from royal blood, Clint carefully handed Natalia over.

"When you return, you and I will scour the forest," the black-haired prince continued. "Something frightened my horse, and I fear it may have been a witch. Did you sense something while you were there, too?"

Clint nodded. "Yes. I did. And I'll gladly return to search for it, but not with you-it's dangerous!"

"I trust you will keep me safe, then," Loki assured his servant with a confident grin. "I want to help in keeping my Natalia safe. For her, I will do anything…" He turned on his heel and headed for the castle.

The archer watched him with a pang of jealousy rising up from within. He thought the prince was a fool if he thought he could handle a fight against a witch. Clint agreed to humour him, though with a little witch hunting. If he could scare Loki enough to scream like a girl, then he would have quite a funny story to tell Natalia.

…..

"Do you really think a witch is near? I suppose with the blood moon drawing near, it _is _a possibility…"

Natalia's eyes flew open at the mentioning of a witch. A rag soaked in cold water fell into her lap as she bolted upright. She looked around her room and saw that Ivan and Sif were talking with a man she had never seen before.

"My Lady!" Ivan rushed to her bedside and squeezed her hand. "I am so glad you've awakened. You had me worried sick." He smiled for the princess.

Natalia didn't recall ever falling asleep. The last thing she remembered was Clint carrying her through the forest. "Where is my prince and Clinton?" she wondered.

Ivan was afraid to respond, so Sif answered for him. "In the forest, searching for traces of witches."

"Loki is?!" she cried.

"They're fine!" Ivan interrupted, placing his hands on the girl's shoulders. "Your prince wants to personally make sure that danger is kept away from you. He seems to be quite smitten," he whispered with a chuckle.

"Before you worry yourself sick, how does your head feel, my Lady?" the man wearing dark purple robes asked. "The Prince said you suffered quite the fall…"

Natalia watched as the man with dark brown curls approached her. "I'm fine," she replied.

"Doctor Banner," the man said. "You may call me Bruce if it makes you comfortable." He bowed his head.

"Pleased to meet you, Doctor Banner," she nodded. His large hand reached behind her head. A finger lightly circled against a particularly tender lump at the very back of her head. Natalia stared at the doctor as he felt her bruise.

"Does that hurt?" he wondered.

"Not too much," she assured him.

"Your nap must have done wonders for you," Bruce smiled. "Now let's see how your hand is." He sat down on the edge of her bed and undid the clean strip of cloth tied around her right hand. "The bleeding seems to have stopped," he noted.

Natalia saw the tiny scrape against her hand and knew that she was fine. Everyone always found overreacting necessary simply because she was a seemingly helpless princess.

"You're a lucky one," the Doctor smiled kindly. "No gashes, no broken bones..." He took the damp cloth and wiped her hand before retying her bandage.

'Lucky.' Natalia wanted to scoff at the good doctor's assumption. How _lucky _was she to have survived a witch attack while her parents needed to die? Natalia hated her luck. It felt more like she was cursed. "Can you see if Loki and Clinton returned?" she asked. Thinking of her dead parents suddenly made her fear for the innocent lives of her prince and the witch hunter.

…

"Lo—My Lord!" Clint had to correct himself from being informal with the King's son who was currently on his last nerve. Loki had insisted on straying ahead in the slowly darkening woods. The hunter found himself chasing after him and constantly watching out for him as though he was a small child. "Stay close to me! Dammit!" he swore under his breath. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"I heard something," Loki whispered, stopping in his tracks. "Do you feel a presence, Barton?" he asked once his companion had caught up.

Clint adjusted the set of arrows slung across his back. "No. But if we stay out here long enough, trouble's bound to follow…"

"I came prepared," Loki informed the hunter. He indicated to a blade secured to his leather belt.

"Tell me what you know about witch hunting again?" Clint smirked.

_"Loki."_

The prince whipped his head around towards the source of the noise. All he could see in the distance were trees and fallen branches.

"Because I'm sure I know a hell of a lot more about my job than-"

"Shut up!" Loki hissed. He heard a soft voice call out his name once again. "Did you hear that?"

Clint furrowed his brows. Clearly, the young prince was going mad. "We should go back. You can see Lady Natalia," he urged him.

A bright blue ball of flame illuminated the path between two trees. "Barton, do you see that?" Loki said under his breath. He took a step towards it, but the tiny light vanished. Another appeared several yards ahead of him and he took off running.

"Loki?" Clint looked ahead just in time to see the source of blue light that the prince desperately chased after. "Loki, no!" The archer charged after him and firmly yanked his arm. "You trying to kill yourself?!" he spat.

Loki stood mesmerized by the path of blue lights spread out before him. "It's trying to show me something…" he said in a daze.

"Yeah, a witch!" Clint grabbed Loki by the collar and forced him to look at him. "The Queen didn't tell stories about the Will-o-the-Wisps as a kid?" he angrily asked.

"Is that what that was?" Loki innocently asked. He recalled his Mother reading him a story once about how a witch used its magic to lead a traveler astray in the form of a so-called 'guiding light.' The light, however, brought the traveler straight to the witch, where he was killed in an instant. Loki didn't realize just how inviting the Will-o-the-Wisp could be. He had felt so drawn to follow those lights, no matter what the cost… and he could have died because of his foolishness.

"Are you listening to me?" Clint demanded, shaking the prince out of his silent stupor.

"Yes," Loki stated. "Thank you, Clinton. I had no idea…" He turned back around, but there was only the ever-approaching darkness.

"I need to get you out of here. Something's happening," he breathed.

"So there is a witch?" Loki questioned as he and the archer ran towards their home.

"Possibly…"

Loki grew hesitant for a moment. "Then Natalia mustn't know. Please don't mention any of this to her!" he pleaded. If Natalia knew, she would only grow fearful of her new home.

"I won't," Clint promised. The two could finally come to an agreement on something, and that was Natalia's safety.

…

"Natalia!" The raven-haired prince appeared in her bedroom's entryway. He was still struggling to catch his breath after running from out of the forest and straight to her chambers. It was worth it to finally see her face, though.

The princess ran to Loki and nearly tackled him to the ground as she flung her arms around the man.

Loki gently stroked her hair. "I'm relieved you are well," he smiled. "I was so worried."

"_You_ were worried?!" she growled.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed that her eyes were puffy and red. "Did you weep for me?"

Natalia answered by punching him in the chest. "It's dark out and you were in the woods?! You're mad!" she angrily accused him. "I was worried sick! You and Clint… I thought I lost both of you!" Fresh tears formed in her eyes.

"Oh, Natalia, I'm so sorry! I promise you that we found no danger. Barton and I are completely unharmed."

"Yeah," Clint agreed, leaning against the door frame. "Unharmed."

"Thank you," Natalia said as she turned her head towards Clint, "for keeping my prince safe."

Loki forced Natalia's gaze to meet with his. "Now who said I needed protection?" His hand cupped her cheek as he leaned in to kiss her soft lips.

Natalia felt her body grow hot with embarrassment. She peeked out of the corner of her eye, only to see Clint quickly walking away.

Loki's eyes slightly opened in time to see that Natalia wasn't focused on the kiss, but on a certain archer. He pulled his lips away from hers. "I love you, Natalia," he murmured.

Her attention was immediately brought back to Loki upon hearing him speak.

"I'm just so glad you came back to me…" she said softly, squeezing him tightly. "My Prince."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading/faving/following/ and reviewing! I hope you all are enjoying!**

Natalia found herself lying in bed, unable to sleep due to what felt like the most eventful day of her life. She rode a horse, fell off, was knocked unconscious, and saved by the King's guard, Clint Barton. But before that, she had been with her prince. Natalia thought back to earlier that morning and recalled meeting Sleipnir, the apple tree covered in white blossoms, her first kiss… She was grateful that her blow to the head didn't take away a memory she wanted to hold near and dear for the rest of her life. What kind of a wife would she be if she couldn't recall the first kiss ever shared with her husband? Not only that, but the mood had perfect in every way-a cool and gentle breeze, the fragrant smell of flowers, the sweet taste of apples against Loki's tongue… If only their most recent kiss had been as romantic. Natalia knew he meant well, but the fact that he kissed her right in front of Clint was embarrassing. And then Loki said he loved her. Hearing those words made Natalia panic. As much as she loved him, she couldn't bring herself to say those three words. Bad things happened to those she loved-it was her curse. Natalia hoped that he wasn't offended when she didn't answer him the same way.

_"I'm just so glad you came back to me… My Prince."_

_"I should let you rest," Loki had replied, turning on his heel._

Loki left her just as suddenly as he had appeared. Natalia knew that he loved her, but she wasn't ready to tell him how she felt-not yet. She wondered if she let him down... He left without even bidding her a goodnight…

As if by magic, there was a soft knock on her door. "Natalia? Are you awake?" Loki wondered from behind the closed door.

She eagerly jumped out of bed wearing only her silk nightgown and answered the door. "Loki!" Natalia smiled widely for him.

The prince opened his mouth to speak, but found himself at a loss for words. He simply stared at her for a moment, admiring how adorable his wife-to-be looked in her nightly garments. Her long hair was all swept to one side and fell over her left shoulder. "You look beautiful," he finally said after what felt like hours. "Your hair is absolutely stunning…"

Natalia's fingers began fussing with her curls. "Isn't this a bit inappropriate? If someone sees us…" She prayed that Ivan couldn't hear them. Looking ahead, she could see that his door was closed and there were no traces of light beneath the slight crack under the door.

"I have a favour I need to ask of you," Loki solemnly replied.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, her brows furrowed with worry.

He shook his head and smiled. "No. I was just wondering… The book I lent you-may I have a look at it?"

"Oh." Natalia opened her door further to allow him in. "Of course. I haven't even had the opportunity to read it, though," she mentioned as she retrieved the book from off her night stand.

"Then perhaps we could read a story together," Loki suggested. "The library has enough candles to light up the whole room. Not to mention the fireplace burns through the night," he added, hoping to convince her.

She shyly glanced up at him beneath her lashes. "What if someone sees us?"

"Surely they wouldn't jump to any lewd conclusions!" he chuckled. "Besides, I'd like nothing more than for our first union as husband and wife to be in our private quarters," he slyly remarked, making his princess blush. "My Father assured me that we will be wed in two month's time." A hand reached out to play with one of Natalia's curls. "Can you believe that?" he grinned.

"It's still a ways away," the young woman informed him as she strayed from his touch. Natalia had no desire to talk about their wedding and the events to follow. For now, she wanted to feel content with Loki's company. She wanted their time together to be as romantic as their morning together. "You said you wanted to read a story?"

"Yes." Loki led her out of the room and down the hall towards the library. "The tale of the Will-o-the-Wisp."

Natalia shot him a disdainful glare. "I'd rather not hear any stories about witches right now…I've already heard that story."

"You have?" he blinked. Loki began leafing through the book's yellowed pages as he sauntered over towards a bench.

"Yes," she answered, following Loki through the library. "Hasn't every child? It's what keeps them out of the forests."

Loki finally found the old fable and began skimming through it. "Do you believe in it, Natalia? The Wisps?" he asked, staring up at her with a grave expression.

She took a seat right beside him. "Aren't all stories just lessons to scare children into submission?"

The prince remained silent as his eyes wandered over the words on the page. "What if they aren't?"

"I don't like hearing you talk like this!" If he was trying to scare her, then she found it to be quite cold of him. She got up and wandered towards the window. The candle lights in Clint's hut shone through the windows despite the late hour.

"Barton believes in them. The Wisps, at least," he remarked, watching Natalia stare out the window. Natalia appeared to be frozen stiff. "Does that change your mind at all?" he coldly remarked. What was her fascination with the hunter? Was it the witch hunting? "Answer me when I speak to you!" Loki snapped. He grabbed her by the shoulder and she let out a piercing shriek. "Natalia!" His eyes widened with fear. "I'm so sorry-I didn't mean to yell!" It wasn't until he stared out into the distance that he realized what had terrified her. A cloud of thick smoke rose from between a crown of fir trees. Hints of red and orange flames could be seen greedily licking away at all of the wood and leaves surrounding them. Loki pulled Natalia close to his chest, forcing her to look away from the sight. Ivan had soon burst into the library, demanding what was happening.

"Fire!" Natalia screamed. "Witch!"

"Shhh," Loki hummed, stroking her hair. "All will be well, Natalia. The fire will be put out right away-we don't know if a witch was the cause."

"No!" she shrieked, punching Loki in the chest until he released her. "C-Clint is out there!"

"Same goes for my Brother," Loki reminded her. "They will tend to this matter-this is all part of the job for them."

Natalia kicked the prince in the shin as hard as she could with the toe of her slipper. "You said witches rarely attacked here! Lying bastard!" she snarled.

"Natalia!" Ivan grabbed her and pulled the enraged woman off of Loki. "Natalia, the Prince would never lie to you-theses things happen, my Lady…" He pulled her close to his chest and felt her body convulse as she wept into his night shirt.

Loki ignored the slight pain in his leg once he heard Natalia's crying. "I'm so sorry, Natalia…" His hand reached out to delicately touch her hair. "Why a witch has suddenly come, I haven't a clue," he murmured.

"It's my luck!" the princess fumed, gripping the fabric of her servant's shirt. "My horrid luck!" she spat. "I've been damned for whatever reason!"

"Now don't speak that way," Ivan gently warned her.

"It is, though!" she protested. "I should have died along with my parents that night!" Tears streamed from her reddened eyes. "I **hate **this!" Before she could lash out at Ivan with her fists, strong arms grabbed her from behind and held her in a comforting manner.

"Oh, Natalia," Loki breathed. "Please, not another word of this…" He inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. "If you had died that night, then I would have lost my wife. You are so dear to me, my darling," he whispered into her ear. "Had I not met you, I would not know what it means to know the wonders and joys of love at first sight." He hugged her closer as she lowered her guard. "Let us try to forget the past and move forward. For our kingdom, and for us…"

His velvety voice as sweet as honey was enough to soothe Natalia's rage. He was right-she needed to move on. She needed to be a strong ruler for her people. Natalia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't deserve such a loving man for her husband. Natalia turned around to return his embrace. Her heart throbbed with longing for her benevolent prince. "Thank you, Loki…" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll try to move on just for you," she vowed, looking him straight in the eyes. "Still…" Her gaze shifted towards the window. "I worry for Clinton's safety. And Thor's, if he's also out there…"

"They will be fine," Loki promised, running his fingers through her hair. "You can rest assured."

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep until whatever this is ends…"

"I will go out and search the forest," Ivan declared. "And help put the fire out before it spreads."

"No!" Natalia ordered. "You're not leaving me, too!" She felt fresh tears brimming, but she refused to cry again.

Ivan nodded. If his Lady didn't want him to go, then he chose to obey. "Let me escort you back to your chambers. I will stay with you through the night."

Natalia nodded and left her prince's side to take Ivan's hand. "Loki," she suddenly said. "If you receive word, let me know. Promise me."

"Yes, Natalia." He bowed his head. "I will find Father right away…"

The princess was brought back to her bedroom, but even with Ivan standing guard, she still couldn't sleep. "Ivan?" she whispered, looking over to where he sat at her vanity. He was resting his head in his hand and didn't respond. Natalia wasn't sure how long he had been asleep for, but he seemed to be in a deep slumber. Quietly, she crept out of her bed and padded towards the window. She pulled back the curtains and could still see signs of smoke. "You better be safe out there, Clint," she muttered under her breath. If Natalia lost her new friend before she got a chance to learn more about him, she didn't know what she would do. Clint was a good man who didn't deserve to die so young. Natalia had to shake her head to stop herself from thinking such awful things. Clint was alive-she had to believe that to be true! Besides, Loki wouldn't lie to her. If he said Clinton was fine, then that was the truth. Natalia rested her forehead against the cool glass and found the need for sleep taking its toll. A swift rapping against the door jolted Natalia awake.

"Natalia!" Loki's voice called out. "Natalia?"

Ivan was also awakened by the knocking and he hastily answered the door.

"Is my Lady awake?" the prince asked, his breathing fast.

Natalia shoved past Ivan to catch a glimpse of her prince's face. He looked like he had just been running about. "What happened, Loki? Clint-is he okay?!"

"The witch has been captured and is to be burned in the town square at noon." The raven-haired man smiled. "The fire has been extinguished, as well."

"And Clinton?" She feared that he was avoiding the subject…

"He's fine," Loki promised. "Just a slight burn…"

"Oh!" she gasped. So he _was_ hurt. "I'd like to see him… He helped protect us all," she finished, desperate for an excuse to check on the archer.

"Only after you've slept," Loki sternly warned her. "Doctor Banner has bandaged his arm-there was no serious damage," he assured the young woman. "Please get some sleep-it's already well into the early hours of the morning…"

"The young Lord is right, Natalia," Ivan chimed in. "You need your rest."

Natalia sighed, but obeyed the two men's suggestion. "Alright. Goodnight, my Prince."

"Goodnight, Lady Natalia," Loki softly answered.


	7. Chapter 7

Natalia was rudely awakened the next morning to Sif ripping her blankets off of her body. The princess groaned in reply and buried her face into her pillow.

"My Lady, it's time to rise." Sif couldn't hide the small smirk across her lips. She couldn't even tell where Natalia's face was what with all of her hair.

The young ruler's brain gradually started to think coherently once she sat upright in bed. Natalia brushed a strand of hair out of her face as she looked at her handmaiden. The thought of the recent fire and witch attack crept back into her mind and Natalia realized that standing before her was a first hand witness to the whole event. "Did you fight the witch last night?"

Sif narrowed her eyes at the princess. "By the time I got there, Barton already had the hag tied to a tree," she began, noticing Natalia smile. "Volstagg was put in charge of taking the witch to the dungeon while the rest of us worked to put the fire out. A shame the boys wanted to spend the evening drinking-we missed out on rare action."

"And Clint got hurt? That's what Loki said…" Natalia chimed in.

"Just a slight burn, is all," Sif shrugged as she showed the redhead to her vanity.

"I intend to thank him after breakfast," Natalia stated as her morning hair brushing ritual began. "He's a brave man."

Sif suddenly laughed. "Does the Prince know of your plans?"

"He said I could see him after I've slept," the redhead answered matter-of-factly. "It doesn't matter, anyways-the Prince isn't my master…"

"He's the jealous type, believe it or not," the handmaiden playfully warned her.

"Really?" Natalia thoughtfully stared at Sif's reflection.

"Aye," she nodded, continuing to brush the princess' locks. "Mostly of Thor since he's the eldest… Lucky for him, Thor turned down the throne. Who knows what would have become of the Prince had Thor willingly accepted his place."

"Why _did _Thor turn down the throne?"

Sif shrugged. "He's always craved adventure." Her features softened as she spoke of the blond. "The King was upset and angered that Thor wanted to hunt witches, but he soon came around. Thor is his favourite, after all."

"The King and Queen play favourites?" Natalia blinked.

"Thor _is _their first born. But Frigga favours Loki-they're both quite alike what with the arts and literature." Sif soon finished with Natalia's hair. After helping her into a corset and gown, Natalia was free to leave for the dining hall.

Frigga was eating by herself. Once she saw Natalia pull out a chair across from her, she warmly smiled at her. "Good morning, Natalia. My deepest apologies for the scare last night…"

The princess curtsied before taking a seat. "No need to apologise, my Queen. I'm just grateful that your son wasn't harmed at all." A servant approached her from her right and set down a plate of fresh berries and bread for her.

"You and Sif have been talking, I presume?" the Queen asked. "I hope you two are getting along…"

Natalia managed a quiet laugh. "I like her." That was no lie-Natalia truly felt that she and Sif could grow closer in time. "Has my Lord eaten yet?" she wondered, curious as to where Loki was.

"He must be sleeping," Frigga sighed. "Or off reading somewhere," she added. "Have you and my son become close?" she prodded with a knowing grin.

Natalia thought about their kiss at the mentioning of 'becoming close.' "One could say we have," she nervously chuckled. "He's a kind man. I'll work hard to be the best wife I can be to make him happy." She took her fork in hand and poked at a blackberry.

"So you want for him to be happy?"

The princess glanced up at Frigga and felt her face grow hot. Was this a trick question? She chose to answer honestly since lying to her Queen was unforgivable. "His happiness is everything to me. I want for us to have a happy marriage," she shyly answered.

"My Loki couldn't have found a more perfect suitor," the Queen proudly beamed. "Thank you, Natalia dear."

"No, thank _you_, my Queen," she replied.

Frigga watched Natalia as she began to eat. "You know, if it makes you comfortable, feel free to address me as 'mother.' In my eyes, you are already my daughter."

Natalia's mouth fell open in surprise. "Th…thank you," she managed. She didn't expect for Frigga to make such a request. Looking at her smiling face, Natalia saw much of Loki in her. She instantly felt more at home now that her Mother-in-law saw her as one of her own. Since her own Mother was gone, it was nice to have a new maternal figure to look to. "Thank you very much."

"No problem at all, dear."

She finished her breakfast and excused herself from the table. "I'll be back soon-I wanted to thank Sir Clinton for defending our home last night."

"Would you mind bringing him some breakfast?" Frigga wondered. "I don't think we've sent someone over with his meal yet."

"That's a great idea-I'll do it."

* * *

"Clinton?" Natalia knocked on the hut's door with one hand while the other carried a silver platter.

The door opened and Clint blinked in surprise. "Nat? Wow, it's nice to see you here," he chuckled.

"Here." She held out the covered tray for him. "I'm taking over for one of the servants today."

"You're being put to work now, huh?" he smirked, accepting his breakfast from her. "Come on in, Princess."

Natalia giggled and stepped inside his home. It was small, but cozy. Clint motioned over to a bench and she took a seat at his side.

"Excuse the mess," Clint quickly told her. His bag of arrows had fallen, leaving them strewn across the floor. There were also several jackets tossed into a pile near his bedroom door. Other than that, his home was kept rather tidy.

Natalia found that it felt empty more than anything. There were no tapestries or plaques hung on the plain stone walls. She noticed some pans and dishes resting on the mantelpiece above a small fire. He had only the essentials-nothing unnecessary to fill up space. "It's nice here. Small and quaint…" She finished looking around, then began watching Clint eat. There was a bandage wrapped around his right forearm and Natalia remembered her reason for coming in the first place. "Thank you, Clint-for what you did last night. It was very brave of you."

Clint nodded mid-chew. "Just doing my job," he said after swallowing.

"You aren't hurt badly, are you?" she worriedly prodded.

"What, this?" he asked, eying his injured arm. "Nothing bad. Just some stinging. I'll live." He proceeded to inhale the contents of his meal.

"Loki said you're going to burn the witch today," Natalia stated. "I'm going with you." She refused to take no for an answer. Natalia wanted to see the beast go up in flames before her very eyes.

Clint chuckled as he set the tray aside. "The royal family doesn't usually attend burnings. The last one was maybe five, six years ago, though," he guessed. "If you really wanna come, then I won't stop you."

"I'm hoping it helps me get over my fear," the princess shrugged. "I need to grow stronger… I promised Loki I would," she quietly added.

Clint narrowed his eyes at the mentioning of the prince's name. "How about you burn the hag yourself?" he suggested. "More power to you."

"Is that safe?" she questioned, arching a brow. "I don't want to get too close or anything…"

"The hag'll most likely still be unconscious," he promised. "She was an ugly old bitch-just warning you."

"I'll be alright," she uneasily replied.

Clint smiled and nodded. "I was thinking of heading out soon, if you'd care to join me…"

"I'll go let Heimdall know," she nodded as she rose from the bench.

"Let me go with you," he offered. "We'll get more time to talk."

"Okay," she agreed with a smile. "Maybe I should bring you breakfast more often, then," she coyly remarked.

Clint nodded, but feared that Loki and his family would grow suspicious. "Maybe…"

"Is something wrong?" she innocently asked.

"Is spending time with the King's guard really a good idea for a princess? I shouldn't waste your time…" He bundled up his arrows and slung them over his back, along with his trusty bow.

"I like you, Clint," she freely admitted as they left the cottage. "You're kind and you've saved my life."

"Well," he chuckled, "thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck as they approached Heimdall at the gate.

* * *

Loki had been busying himself with reading a book when he heard a voice call his name.

_"Loki."_

The raven-haired prince wondered if it was another Wisp tempting him. He looked around, but saw only the books neatly placed upon their shelves. His name was heard again and he slowly rose to the feet and looked out the window. He expected to see a Wisp waiting for him outside, but no. Loki saw something _much _worse. Down by the paved path leading up to the castle was his Natalia walking alongside Clint Barton. He threw his book to the ground and beat his fist against the window.

_"Loki!"_

"**What?!**" Loki snarled, whipping his head to the side. A Wisp floated in midair right before his eyes and led him towards a bookshelf at the farthest end of the room.

Bewildered, the prince followed. His curiosity had taken gotten the better of him. Was this a trick? Why were the Will-of-the-Wisps beckoning him? The little blue orb disappeared into the spine of a withered red tome. Loki reached for the book and attempted to pry it from the shelf, but it wouldn't budge. "What in the hells?" he hissed. He began pulling with all of his strength until he suddenly heard a _click. _Loki's heart began to race as the entire bookshelf jerked forward. He carefully approached the shelf's edge and saw that it opened up into a secret passageway. A trail of Wisps acted as Loki's guiding lights into the unknown room. He reached for a handle located behind the bookshelf and closed it, leaving the prince enclosed in an unfamiliar room.

* * *

A large crowd had gathered in the town square that afternoon. Natalia tightly held Clint's hand as he forced all bystanders to clear a path for the Princess. The first thing Natalia noticed was that Thor and Sif were there, accompanied by their other friends.

"So my Lady, the Princess, has decided to join us!" Thor's voice boomed.

Several townspeople cheered at the notion.

Natalia felt embarrassed to cause a ruckus, but she was here on important business.

"Ready to light this hag up?" Clint asked Thor with a smirk.

"Aye," he agreed, making more people cheer. Hogun handed him a torch, which Thor passed to Clint.

"Nat?" Clint whispered. "You want the honours?"

Natalia eyed the flame and squeezed her fists tightly. She kept repeating to herself that everything was going to be fine-she had Clint with her, along with Sif, and Thor. The princess felt a little more at ease, but when she finally looked up to see the witch tied to a wooden stake, her whole body froze. She had never been this close to a witch before.

The creature had the form of a woman with string-like black hair. Her black garments were tattered and burned, most likely from last night's battle. The witch's skin was the most unsettling feature-it was waxy, but had cracks running through it as though she was made of china.

"Nat."

Hearing her nickname forced Natalia into a more composed mindset. She needed to be strong. For Loki. _For Loki, _she told herself, grabbing the thick piece of flaming wood from Clint's hand.

"You sure you don't want help, my Lady?" Clint winked.

The witch unexpectedly awakened from its unconsciousness and deeply inhaled. "The royal blood…" she crooned, her voice hoarse.

Natalia would have dropped the torch, had it not been for Clint to hold her hand.

"This is the Princess?" Eyes the colour of blood glared down at Natalia's shivering form. "Romanova," she cruelly grinned. "You look just like your Mother."

"W-what?!" Natalia's voice was a broken whimper.

"Shut the hell up!" Clint growled at the witch. "You die today, hag!"

The witch ignored Clint's threats. "Yes, I remember her… I was lucky enough to drink of her blood…"

Natalia felt bile rise up in her throat. She couldn't allow herself to get sick in public, though. She needed to calm herself down. What would Loki think? Loki would want her to be brave. So would Sif. Just before Clint could throw the flame into the pile of wood and dry leaves at the witch's feet, Natalia snatched the torch away.

"And oh, was it delightful! The best blood I've ever tasted!" She threw her head back and cackled wildly.

"How **dare **you speak of my Mother that way!" Something inside Natalia snapped as her fear was replaced with rage. "You'll die for your crimes, you ugly old hag!"

The crowd cheered and applauded for their Princess' valor.

"Then kill me!" the witch spat back. "Kill me, and my brethren will come forth and slaughter you and your kingdom, you insolent cunt!"

"Go back to hell where you belong, ugly bitch!" Natalia seethed as she threw the flame directly at the witch's chest. The flames caught on her dress, then fell to eat away at the brush below.

It didn't take long for the witch's body to burst into flames. The hag's tortured screams were drowned out by the gleeful applause from the surrounding townspeople.

"Geez," Clint breathed. He grabbed Natalia's shoulder and forced her to look away from the burning corpse. "Remind me never to get on your bad side," he laughed, guiding her away from the crowd. Natalia abruptly took off running and Clint followed after her. "Nat?"

Sif happened to notice, but knew that it would be a risk to run after her. Instead, she stayed with her friends so she could aid them in putting out the fire and disposing of the creature's ashes.

"Nat, wait!" Clint yelled. He chased her into an alleyway and watched as she collapsed to the ground in a fit of tears.

"Sh-she knew my Mother!" Natalia cried out. "She drank her blood, I…" She clasped a hand over her mouth, most positive that she was going to vomit. "She was there that night!"

"Natalia…" Clint knelt before her and reached out to stroke her cheek. "I'm so sorry… Nat, I really am." His saddened eyes stared into hers.

"I-I feel sick," she whimpered. "I shouldn't have come today, I-"

"Hey," the archer said gently, "you killed your first witch today. You did good, Princess. She's dead now, thanks to you." He offered her a small smile.

Natalia pressed her lips together and threw her arms around Clint's neck. The feeling of sickness passed, but the tears remained. "That was terrifying!"

"You'll never have to do it again," the blond whispered. "I'll kill any witch before they can get within a hundred yards of you," he promised.

The redhead nodded as she sobbed into his chest.

"You were really something back there. You had _me _scared," he laughed.

Natalia glanced up at him and a giggle escaped her. He was right-in that very moment the witch threatened her, something inside the princess had taken over. She felt invincible for that one moment. And now here she was, crying like a baby. Natalia had just faced her greatest fear-she looked into that witch's ruby eyes and set its body aflame. Just thinking about it felt empowering. Natalia's crying quickly ceased and she rose to her feet, ready to return home. This would certainly be a story for her children to hear…

"The town's gonna be talking about how fearless the future Queen is," Clint laughed. "You've just made a good name for yourself." He began to walk her back to the castle.

"I guess I have…" Natalia had no reason to cry. Her moment of weakness had passed.

"You gonna tell Loki?" the hunter smirked. "My bet is that he'll have a horse is he hears what you did! Natalia the witch slayer…"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Hush! That was a onetime thing-from now on, you are my royal witch slayer."

Clint ran ahead of her so he could kneel at her feet. "Yes, my Queen."

"Now you're being ridiculous!" Natalia laughed.

"What? Soon enough, you'll be my Queen. I'll be taking orders from you." He got up to walk beside her.

"I guess so," she mused.

The two fell silent for a moment as they walked. Clint glanced at her several times until he finally had the nerve to speak. "You sure you're okay, Nat?"

She stared right into his eyes. "Fine… Just got a little too emotional back there."

"They killed my family, too," Clint softly admitted. "First my parents, then my older brother…"

Natalia froze in place. "Clint…" she sadly whispered, grabbing his leather coat.

"I escaped, though," he added, "I was lucky enough to survive..."

"I'm so sorry, Clint. I-I brought up your family on a whim that day- I swear I had no idea…"

"It's not your fault," he gently assured her. "Actually, the first time I heard about you and your parents, I remember that I really wanted to meet you," he confessed. "I felt that you'd understand me, you know? Then when I first saw you…" he paused, looking away from her intense stare. "You looked at me with those eyes-I don't know!" he shook his head and feared where his nonsense was taking him. "You made me feel important when you looked at me." Clint felt his entire body grow hot. "Is that too weird?" he forced himself to laugh, hoping that it would erase the tension in the air.

In that moment, Natalia felt her chest constrict like the first time she laid eyes on Clint. She knew something was wrong with her. Both Loki and Clint managed to make her feel so happy and it made her feel like a horrible person. She feared that this was love, and if it was, then it needed to end. Loki needed to be her one and only-not Clint Barton… But she really liked him. Natalia knew that she wasn't going to give up the archer so easily.

"Nat?" Her face seemed pale and he feared that he had said something stupid. Did it sound too much like a love confession? "Aw, crap," he groaned, fearing that he made a fool of himself. "Natalia, I didn't mean-"

"I thought you were my prince when I first saw you," Natalia interrupted. "When the King introduced you, I really thought that you were the man I was to marry."

"Really?" His eyes lit up at the notion.

Natalia started tugging on the fabric of her gown. "But then I got to meet Loki," she continued. "I'm going to marry him, Clint. I care about him," she declared.

Clint felt like she had just stepped on his heart and shattered it.

"And you're making it _very _difficult to love only him…" She fiercely looked him in the eyes.

"Natalia?" he questioned. Clint felt so confused. One minute she loved Loki, and now she was blaming _him _for finding it hard for her to marry the guy. Did that mean Natalia loved _him?_

"Just take me home," she ordered. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to be near you." She turned on her heel and began to storm off. Tears threatened to escape her eyes, but Natalia refused to cry.

"Wait!" Clint grabbed her wrist and forced their gaze to meet. "Do you love me?"

Natalia's eyes narrowed as she clawed at his hand. "Let me go!"

"Do you love me…Natalia?" he gravely repeated.

"I don't _love _anyone!" she huffed. "I just met you-you and Loki! And you're both driving me crazy!" Tears blurred her vision and soon trailed down her pink cheeks. "I don't love-" Natalia was silenced with a startling kiss on the lips.

Clint didn't know what had come over him in that instant. All he knew was that he wanted her and he couldn't hold back any longer. She shared the same pain he did-she understood how it felt to lose family. Natalia was special, sweet, beautiful… He wanted to protect her, even at the cost of his own life. "I'm sorry," he murmured once their lips parted. "But I love you, Natalia."

She scoffed and slapped him across the face before sprinting away from him. He had some nerve to kiss an engaged woman! And his future Queen, for that matter!

"N-" Clint rubbed his stinging cheek. He debated about chasing after her, but stopped himself. Natalia clearly didn't want to be near him and Clint could understand why. Even if she did hate him forever, he had no regrets. She knew how he felt. That was what mattered most.

The princess soon returned to the castle and dashed past Heimdall before he could ask what had happened. Natalia stopped running once inside her home so her heels clicking against the marble floor wouldn't make a racket. She hurried up to her chamber room and shut the door behind her. Her heart was pounding from all the running and she collapsed onto her bed. All she wanted to do was sleep and hope that her afternoon was all just a dream.


	8. Chapter 8

"Natalia?" There was a knock on Lady Romanova's bedroom door. Upon receiving no answer, he allowed himself into the room and saw his bride-to-be buried under her blanket. "Dinner will be served shortly…" he gently continued. "Natalia, are you ill?"

Natalia finally sat up in bed but refused to look at Loki. Her eyes felt a bit swollen from her crying and she couldn't let the prince see her so distressed. "I'm not hungry," she groggily answered.

"What's this about you burning a witch?" Loki inquired, seating himself on the edge of her bed. "It's all Thor's been raving about…"

She nodded. "Yeah. I burned the witch." Just hours ago, she had been so proud of her feat, but her chat with Clint afterwards made her feel miserable.

Loki immediately noticed that she wasn't quite herself. "Thor said you were quite fierce. What happened to your bite?" he playfully asked as a hand reached out to stroke her hair. Loki absolutely adored her long, silky curls. Her hair was as soft as spider silk and he felt at ease whenever he had the chance to run his slender fingers through it.

"Clint and I had a misunderstanding afterwards," she sighed, fidgeting with her wool blanket.

"Did he harm you?" Loki demanded. Clint and Natalia certainly seemed to be getting along when he saw them earlier… Although Loki wouldn't let his face show it, he was very glad about their feud.

"No. No…" she repeated, looking into Loki's flickering orbs. "If anything, I was the one who hurt _him_." She flashed Loki a devious grin.

"Oh, did you?" Loki was pleased by this news. "And what brought you to cause him such pain?"

Natalia knew she couldn't tell him the truth-Loki would be furious if he knew about the kiss! "He was inconsiderate towards my feelings…"

"I can have him beheaded, if that would please you," Loki coolly remarked.

Natalia wasn't sure whether he was jesting or serious. "I've put him in his place!" she warned the prince. "And I don't wish to speak to him until he apologizes."

Loki could easily force Clint into apologizing for his wrongdoing, but keeping the archer at bay made him feel more comfortable. "Come, Natalia, join our family for dinner." He started to stand, but Natalia held him back.

"Wait." She grabbed his forest green tunic to stop him. With Loki taken by surprise, Natalia took the opportunity to stand up on her knees and pull his face close to hers for a kiss. She needed to feel his lips against hers to help her forget about Clint.

Loki wasn't going to bother questioning her about the sudden kiss. Right now, he felt too caught up in her charms to even care. He desperately yearned for every part of her, but his gentlemanly side took over and reminded him that she would be his in a short matter of time. "Thor will be upset if we don't come down for supper," he smirked, running his hands down her sides. "Mother won't let anyone eat unless all are present."

"Right, sorry," Natalia said in a daze. She held Loki's hand as they walked to the dining hall. As hard as she tried to not think about Clint, he kept popping up into her mind. Natalia made sure to stay attentive throughout dinner so no one-especially Loki-would know that her mind seemed to be elsewhere. Thor went on and on about the witch burning and Frigga and Ivan weren't too fond of the topic. After dinner, Natalia was first to excuse herself.

"Natalia?" Ivan followed after her, hoping to finally chat with her alone. "Are you sure you are well after today, my Lady?" he worriedly asked. He noticed that she seemed a bit off at dinner, but he didn't wish to mention anything.

"Fine," she assured her servant. "Just tired." As she ascended the grand staircase, she stopped to stare out a large window. The sky outside was painted a deep red as the Blood Moon lit up the sky. "It's that time," she breathed. "I completely forgot…" Back home, there was almost always at least one witch sighting on the night of every Blood Moon. Natalia felt her stomach churn. She prayed that her new home was safe from anymore danger…

"You will be fine, Natalia." Ivan gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Come. You need your rest."

Loki watched his princess ascend the stairs. He thought about calling out to her in hopes that they could talk in private. More than anything, he wanted to show her his new discovery. Loki hadn't even bothered to ask the King what the purpose of the room hidden behind the bookshelf was for. He wasn't even sure if his Father knew the truth hiding within their home… Once Natalia and Ivan disappeared from view, he dashed up the stairs to return to the library into his private room of lore. Not just any lore-all of the newly discovered books held spells and enchantments in between their withered pages. Loki couldn't get enough of the ancient texts. They fascinated him and he longed to cram every bit of information into his bright mind. As sinful as it was, Loki wanted to learn the art of witchcraft. His reasons weren't for evil, though-he hoped that he could find a charm of some kind to protect his kingdom from any black magic. Loki was willing to give himself to the dark arts for the safety of his people and his family. The spells he had read about so far seemed simple enough for any mortal to perform. He knew that he had to be careful, though. Wielding too much power could destroy oneself and turn them into a spiteful witch…

* * *

"For the record, Natalia," Sif began while tightening the princess' corset, "I was going to chase after you yesterday, but it would seem that Barton beat me to it."

"Please don't mention him," Natalia warned her handmaiden.

"Did something happen?" She laced up the corset, then went to pick out a gown from the closet.

Natalia's lips formed a straight line as she watched Sif fetch her dress. She wanted to tell _someone _the truth and who better than Sif? Natalia already knew _her _deepest secret. "Between just us…" She sighed and sat down on the bed. "He said he loved me. And he kissed me."

"I take it Loki doesn't know, seeing that Barton still lives," Sif jokingly remarked.

"This isn't funny!" the redhead snapped. "He kissed me against my will!"

"I thought you liked him," Sif abruptly stated.

Natalia narrowed her eyes. "I _hate _him!"

Sif began to chuckle as she took a seat beside her mistress. "Lady Romanova-witch slayer and heart breaker," she quipped.

Natalia got up and turned her back to Sif as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Now you can marry your prince with no regrets…"

Natalia kept quiet as she let Sif's words sink in. She was going to marry Loki-nothing could ever change that. "Do you really think I broke Clint's heart?" she asked after a pause.

"I didn't see him at all after the two of you ran off." Sif helped Natalia into a green dress with white trim.

Natalia thought long and hard about what Clint had told her yesterday. His family was killed by witches just like hers was. Guilt kicked in and Natalia knew that she should apologize for smacking him. She knew she couldn't stay on bad terms with Clint forever-she cared too much for him. Once she was properly dressed, Natalia walked down to the library. Surely enough, she found Loki sitting before the hearth surrounded by stacks of thick books. "Good morning." First, she wanted to see her prince. She dearly cared about Loki and she wanted to show him.

Loki slowly glanced up at her and snapped his book shut. "Good morning, Natalia."

The first thing she noticed were the dark circles under his eyes. "Did you sleep well?" she wondered, taking a seat beside several books.

"Yes," he smoothly lied. Truth be told, Loki hadn't slept. He found his new books too intriguing to put down. His night was spent in front of the crackling fireplace, reading his heart out. So far, he had bookmarked several concoctions that he intended to try out, one being a potion to make one's hair smell of fresh roses. He wanted to give Natalia that potion, but only if he could successfully brew it…and after using Sleipnir as his test subject.

"What are all these books for?" She reached for one, but Loki slammed his palm against the stack to stop her.

"My Father's old books-they're horribly dull, but he said they should help for when I am to rule," Loki quickly lied. "I'm famished-let's get some breakfast, Natalia!"

She nodded and watched Loki stack his books into one neat pile.

"I just need to drop these off in my room first…"

"Would you like some help?" Natalia offered.

Loki smiled in a carefree manner. "You needn't lift a finger, my darling."

She watched him carry his books off to his room and waited until he was done so she could tell him her plans for the day. "I plan on seeing Clinton after breakfast," she announced as they made their way down the stairs.

"I thought you were still cross with him," Loki uneasily replied.

"I'm just going to apologize. I hit him yesterday, so I owe him," she explained. "Don't be angry," she quietly added.

"Now why would I grow angry, my darling?" he wondered in a gentle tone. Loki could hide his distaste very well.

Natalia recalled Sif saying that Loki was the jealous type. She expected more of a reaction from him. Loki must have trusted her if he didn't act out against her seeing another man. Not that she and Clint were together, of course! Natalia was thankful that Loki wasn't questioning her intentions. She hoped that this was a sign that their marriage would be off to a good start. "You don't seem to like Clinton very much…"

"I dislike the way he looks at you." He took her delicate hand in his. "You are to be mine, and mine alone, Natalia." He kissed her hand, making the young woman blush.

"And I yours." Natalia still wasn't ready to say the one thing she knew he longed to hear. _Love. _She promised herself that she wouldn't utter that word to him until their wedding day when she committed herself entirely to him. "How about we pay Sleipnir a visit when I'm done?" she excitedly added. "And you can help me climb that tree!"

Loki couldn't say no to her, especially since she seemed enthusiastic to spend time with him. "Of course," he agreed. "I'll have lunch brought to us."

Natalia nodded and they both entered the dining hall to enjoy breakfast with the King and Queen. Afterwards, Natalia ventured over to Clint's home and knocked on the door.

Clint answered the door expecting it to be Heimdall with a word from the King regarding a new mission. When he saw the familiar red of Natalia's hair, all he could do was let out an 'oh' of surprise. "Milady…" He uncomfortably stood in place, unsure of what to do. Clint wouldn't blame her if she was still angry. He had no right to kiss her-it was wrong of him, not to mention punishable by death at Loki's hand. "Natalia, I'm so sor-"

"I'm sorry!" Natalia quickly interrupted. "Clint, about yesterday-!"

"No!" The man cut her off from saying anything more. "I don't know what I was thinking," he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Actually, I wasn't thinking…" he sheepishly admitted. "I'm so sorry, Natalia."

Looking at his face, she couldn't see any evidence left from yesterday's incident. All she could see was the look of pain in his eyes. Natalia didn't just physically hurt him-she emotionally hurt him. That pain was by far the worst kind. "Do you regret it?" she hastily asked.

Clint froze, fearful of what would happen if she knew the truth. "I do," he stated. Natalia glared at him, but he continued to speak before she could utter a word. "Only because it upset you… I don't like having you mad at me. I love you, Natalia-I swear it!"

She tightly clenched her fists as his words hit her like a ton of bricks. "Clint…" Natalia couldn't encourage his feelings. She had Loki, and there was no way she would ever deceive him. "I'd like-no…" she paused and looked him straight in the eyes. "I _order _you to forget what happened yesterday. You and I will be friends, and nothing more," the princess declared.

The archer opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't decide on the right words to say. He settled for lowering his gaze and nodding. "Yes, Milady."

Natalia smiled, pleased that he willingly agreed. "Can we talk?" she wondered. "Like we did yesterday morning?"

Clint put on a happy façade for her sake. "Sure." He allowed her inside and they began to chat. First, there was silence, but Natalia wasn't afraid to break the peace.

"Why the arrows?" she wondered aloud. Her eyes rested upon his archery set that was seated across the bench.

The blond was quiet for a moment as he picked up his bow and arrows to make room for Natalia. "My Father taught me when my Brother and I were kids," he explained.

A quiet 'oh' escaped Natalia's lips. "Sorry… I didn't mean to bring it up…"

"It's okay, actually." He softly smiled as he held the wooden bow in his hands. "They're good memories."

The kindness within his eyes was enough to make Natalia weak. Clint was making it hard for her to stay loyal to her fiancé. She was about to leave, but Clint opened up to her about his Mother and his Brother, Barney. Natalia couldn't leave after that-it wouldn't have been polite. She stayed and listened to his stories about growing up. He talked about archery lessons from his Father, the day he and Barney found a stray dog (their Mother made them let it go), the small Barton family cottage where stories were shared before the fireplace… Natalia learned a lot about Clint that afternoon. She gladly would have listened to more, but Loki's distant voice calling out to her forced her to leave.

"Come back tomorrow." Clint grinned widely, hoping that she would accept his offer.

Natalia knew she shouldn't, but what harm was there? Clint was only telling her stories, after all. "Alright." She briskly left and ran off in the direction of Loki's voice. Natalia found the black-haired prince waiting under the white blossom tree.

Loki waved once she caught his eye. There was no hiding the fact that Natalia was coming straight from Clint's home. Still, the vibrant smile across her lips made his anger melt away. "I've brought lunch for us." He motioned for her to sit next to him in the shade.

"I hope I didn't keep you waiting," she quickly answered as she sat down on the soft grass.

Loki shook his head as he pulled a wrapped up bundle from a wicker basket. "No trouble at all. I trust your talk with Clinton went well?" he asked calmly.

"We're on good terms again." She shrugged and eyed a batch of lemon and berry tarts that Loki had just unwrapped. Natalia was afraid that telling Loki about Clint opening up to her about his life would make him jealous. She grabbed a tart and slowly nibbled on it.

Loki hid his dismay as best as he could. He didn't want his Natalia to be friendly with Barton. Natalia was rightfully his! Loki's fingers tightened around the fabric-bound tome in his hands.

"What's that?" Natalia wondered, eying the book.

"Ah…" He opened the book and flipped to a bookmarked page. "I'd like to recite a piece for you, if you don't mind."

Natalia reached for another tart and smiled. "Go on."

Loki stole one last glance at her grin before averting his gaze to the words before him.

"'_Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?  
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:  
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,  
And summer's lease hath all too short a date:  
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,  
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;  
And every fair from fair sometime declines,  
By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd;  
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,  
Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;  
Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,  
When in eternal lines to time thou growest;  
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,  
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee_.'"

The prince's velvety voice as sweet as honey left Natalia in awe. His eloquent manner of speaking gave life to the words-it felt to her as if Loki was _born _to recite such lovely prose. She found herself lost in a daze as she thought about the sound of his soothing voice.

"Natalia?"

She blinked upon hearing her name. He always said her name in a reverent way that made her blush. "That…that was beautiful," Natalia finally said. "Really, Loki-you're amazing."

Loki chuckled in his usual carefree manner. "You speak as if I wrote these words myself-believe me, Natalia, my words fail in comparison to those of Shakespeare."

Natalia shook her head. "No. I'm sure you can do better!" she challenged.

"No, Natalia, you flatter me!"

"Write me a poem, then!" Natalia knew that if she asked, Loki would give. "Anything, really. I just want to hear _your _words." She jutted out her lower lip slightly, knowing that it would make her fiancé weak. "For me."

Loki playfully narrowed his eyes. "You're quite the temptress, my Natalia." He reached out to play with a loose curl. "I vow to write you something worthy of your striking nature," he winked. "For our wedding." Loki took her hand in his and kissed it.

"Deal," Natalia agreed with a smirk.

Loki proudly beamed as he eyed his stunning princess. He had her wrapped around his finger. Why had he been so jealous of losing her to Clint Barton? One look into her sparkling eyes told him that this was love. Although Natalia wouldn't admit it, her bright green eyes spoke the truth.

**A/N: The quote used is from Shakespeare's Sonnet 118**


	9. Chapter 9

Natalia spent her week visiting Clint in the mornings and spending afternoons with Loki. She and Clint would always chat about their days. The past few days for Natalia had involved meetings with several seamstresses to make her new gowns (one being for her wedding, but Natalia didn't need to tell Clint that). Clint always had a story to tell about his trips to the city, like one where a young, female newcomer was mistaken for a witch. "How could that happen?" she wondered. "Witches have some characteristics you really can't miss…"

"Desperate times, I guess," Clint shrugged. "People are bored here, Nat. They want something interesting to happen." He had just finished tightening his bow string. "So they're resorting to false accusations…"

Wanting to change the subject, Natalia reached out to grab an arrow from the wooden table before her. "How about you teach me how to shoot today?" The corners of her lips turned up in a devious smirk.

Clint shook his head and laughed. "It's not something you learn in a day, Princess."

"You make it look easy enough," she cockily pondered.

"I've been doing this for years," he reminded her.

"And I'm a fast learner."

Clint swore that she winked at him and chuckled. "Alright. But no whining if you can't get it right."

Natalia hopped up from her seat and impatiently waited at the door for Clint to get his equipment all together.

Clint made sure to hurry so he wouldn't upset the princess. Once outside, he drew a bull's eye on a piece of old parchment and pinned it to a nearby tree. "We're getting to the fun part," he announced, grabbing a leather arm guard. "You're a lefty like me. This should make things easy." He took her left arm and secured the bracer over the sleeve of her dress. "Safety first," he smirked, looking straight into her eyes.

Natalia suddenly lost her cool composure. Archery suddenly seemed like a bad idea… Clint grabbed his bow and stood behind her. He was so close that she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"Grip it with your right hand," he instructed. "Left hand pulls the string."

"Right!" Natalia did as he said. She watched him ready an arrow and felt his warm hand cover hers as they pulled back together.

"Eye on the target," he whispered into her ear.

The gentleness of his voice directly in her ear sent a shiver up Natalia's spine. She ended up losing her grip and sent the arrow in a downwards spiral into the grass. "I can do this myself!" she hastily remarked.

"Alright…" Clint backed off, not wanting to anger her.

After several failed attempts, Natalia managed to get an arrow to hit the outermost circle of the bull's eye. "Told you I was a fast learner," she boasted with a smirk.

"You were born with good aim," Clint chuckled.

All was going smoothly until Loki happened to stare out the library window overlooking the laughing couple. He scowled, furious that Natalia was seeing Barton behind his back. Loki needed Clint gone-he needed _something _to get rid of the man for good… And he had just the answer. Loki eyed the book in his hand, knowing full well of the taboo contained within it. He headed straight to his private chambers to practice some _real_ magic. Potions were too simple. Following a list of instructions was something any well-educated mortal could perform. His first attempt at brewing shampoo worked nicely on Sleipnir's mane and made Natalia's hair shine like the midday sun. Not only did it work, but Natalia loved it and Loki made some for his Mother. When the Queen asked where Loki obtained it, he claimed that it was something he bought from a travelling merchant. Loki now felt confident enough to try something more complex. He wanted to attempt what only true witches could execute. After locking himself in his bedroom, He searched through the piles of books he had borrowed from the secret library. There was one spell in particular that had made him chuckle. He found the tome and opened it up to a bookmarked page containing a brew to turn one into a hideous beast. Loki only hoped that the incantation required at the end of the instructions would work for a mortal. "Let's see if Barton will ever want to look at you if he turned into a monster…"

* * *

The next morning, Natalia was chatting with Clint when Doctor Banner showed up. He wanted to check on Clint's arm to make sure his burn was healing.

"I told you I'm fine, Doc. Good as new," Clint promised. The skin on his arm was no longer pink and enflamed. It was back to its natural tan.

"You can never be too careful, Clinton," Bruce said with a sheepish grin. "I'm glad you're better. And how about you, My Lady?" he asked Natalia. "You are well, I hope?"

"Just fine," the redhead nodded.

There was a knock on the door and Clint went to answer it. "My Lord?"

"I have a delivery for you," Loki announced, holding a silver tray of tarts. "One of our servants was going to deliver this, but Natalia is needed for our seamstress." He smiled towards his fiancé and noticed the look of panic in her eyes.

"You knew I was here?" Natalia asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Of course," Loki answered. "I saw you run off after breakfast and grew curious." Today wasn't the only time he had seen her run off, though… The prince kept a bright smile on his face as he thought about what was soon to come. "These are meant for you, Clint," he continued, handing the plate of lemon tarts to the archer. "And I added a berry one for Natalia." He knew she favoured the berry ones the best and that made his scheme easier to play out. The only thing Loki wasn't expecting was for the Doctor to be present.

"Thank you, Loki." Natalia reached for the tart smothered in red jam.

"Do you want one, Doc?" Clint offered the plate to Bruce.

Loki tensed upon hearing Clint's offer. The tart for Natalia was perfectly fine-they all were, actually. Except the batch of lemon tarts Loki stole from the kitchen had a little something extra added in. Still, he couldn't make any objections in fear of looking suspicious. Loki snatched one for himself for added effect. He kept a watchful eye on Clint as he reached for a snack of his own. It was then that Loki's plan crumbled when Doctor Banner began to choke after taking his first bite of the dessert.

"Shit!" Clint dropped the tray, sending all the pastries to the floor. "Banner?" He and Natalia dropped to Bruce's side while Loki stood in place, watching. Clint began slapping Bruce on the back until the Doctor coughed up some crumbs.

"Bruce?" Natalia worriedly asked. She noticed his complexion looked a bit off and wondered if he was going to be sick. "Is there another Doctor around?"

_The irony…_ Loki thought to himself, fighting back a chuckle. It seemed that his potion didn't work. He figured that the chant at the end was what failed him. Witchcraft was for witches, and witches alone.

Bruce grabbed his middle as he lurched forward in pain. His body trembled and he broke out into a cold sweat.

"I'll go to the castle!" Natalia said, jumping to her feet.

"You're gonna be okay, Doc," Clint whispered, patting him on the back. The Doctor began groaning as his muscles seized beneath Clint's touch. "Wait-are _you_ okay, Natalia?" Clint asked before she could run off. "You ate one of those…"

"An allergic reaction, perhaps?" Loki interjected.

"It's a pretty damn bad reaction…" the archer breathed. The subtle sound of ripping fabric forced the three to stare at Bruce's crouched form. Clint watched as the robe's shoulder seams tore apart, revealing the sickly green flesh underneath. "What the hell…?" Clint backed away to grab his bow and arrows. "Nat, get outta here!"

Loki grabbed Natalia's shoulder and pulled her close to his chest as they both stared at what was once Doctor Bruce Banner. The Doctor they had known was gone, and in his place was a hideous beast with enlarged muscles and abnormally green flesh.

The Doctor had doubled in size and stood up on his knees. He threw his head back and a carnal growl escaped his throat.

"Bruce…" Natalia clung to Loki, eyes wide with terror.

"Loki, get her out of here!" Clint shouted, his arrow pointed at Bruce.

Banner's large hand swung towards the Prince and Loki couldn't help but smirk. _He _did this to the Doctor, after all. Loki couldn't blame him for this. "Come, Natalia." Loki dragged her out of the cabin, much to her dismay.

"You can't leave Clint!" she yelled at him. "What if Bruce kills him?!" Natalia cried. She would be left devastated if the archer were to die trying to protect her. "Loki-!"

"Barton, Barton, Barton!" Loki seethed, gripping her upper arm tightly. "Do you even give a damn about me?!" All of his pent up anger bubbled over and spilled out onto her.

"_Your_ life isn't in danger right this second!" Natalia hissed. "I have every right to worry about Clint right now!"

Loki clenched his jaw. He knew that she was just giving him an excuse. "I've seen you wander over here, Natalia, unless my eyes deceive me!" If only that were the case…

"You don't _own _me!" the redhead bit back. "Stop acting so possessive!"

"Possessive? I'm only worried for my wife! Is that wrong? Na-" Clint's nearby screaming interrupted their spat.

"Clint?!" Natalia cried. A green fist smashed through the stone wall, sending her into a panic. Her body broke into a sprint, only to have Loki snatch a fistful of her hair and yank her back.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?!" the prince seethed.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as her eyes met with Loki's. "Please," she rasped, "don't let him die!"

The green beast came charging towards them and Loki shoved both he and Natalia to the ground. She screamed as she smacked against the hard ground, but at least with his body hovering over hers, she would be safe… hopefully.

"Get away from them!" Clint shouted. Despite some bruising he received from a series of hits from Bruce, he was fine. He readied an arrow and shot the Doctor's bare back.

Bruce's alter ego grabbed Loki's leg and raised him up into the air, only to drop him like a load of hot coals once Clint's arrow struck him.

"Loki!" Natalia screeched. "Loki, no!" The tears fell harder as she eyed the prince's limp form. She quickly rose to her feet and ran towards him, only to have the monster block her path. He growled, revealing his yellowed teeth. Natalia kept up a strong front. Her body felt hot with rage over what happened to Loki. She swerved around Bruce, desperate to reach what mattered most to her.

"Nat, duck!"

Natalia threw herself to the ground once Clint's yell sounded in the air. When she looked up, the monster was howling in agony as an arrow pierced through his chest. Clint ran to her side and the two watched as the creature's green skin turned pale and the body shrank in size until Doctor Banner was lying naked on the ground.

Thor and Sif were the first to come running to the scene. "What in the hells was that?!" Thor questioned, staring at Bruce's shuddering form.

"You guys showed up late," Clint informed the two. "Why'd you even come here?"

"Heimdall came running for us saying a witch was loose on castle grounds," Sif explained in a forced deep voice.

"Right now we need a doctor… A different one…" Clint carefully approached Bruce and noticed that the arrow had fallen from the wound and the area he was shot had completely healed.

"This isn't a witch…" Thor breathed, hovering over Banner's body. "Only Banner."

"I think one was behind it," Clint said, recalling the tart that made the good Doctor into a beast. "Foul play's been involved…"

"Loki needs help first!" Natalia shouted, "H-he's not breathing…" She knelt down and placed his head in her lap. "Loki?" she asked. "Loki!…"

Thor fell to his Brother's side immediately. "Send for help!" His booming voice sounded like thunder. "Loki! Loki, wake up!" he begged.

Natalia lowered her head, letting her long curls cascade against Loki's porcelain skin. "I'm sorry, Loki," she murmured. "So, so sorry…" What if he was dead? Their last words were all said out of spite. "Please-don't do this to me!" Natalia couldn't lose him-she hadn't even gotten to profess the one thing her heart ached to tell him… "Loki…" Her heart was in pieces as the horrifying reality struck her-everyone she loved was dead.

A smile slowly formed across Loki's lips. Those soft, silky curls tickled his cheeks, forcing a weak laugh out of him. "Na…talia…" His eyes slowly opened and he never thought he would ever awaken to a sight sweeter than his beloved's face.

Natalia was terrified she would never hear his soothing voice ever again. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as he said her name. She knew that she looked like a wreck with her red, swollen eyes and snot stuffing up her nose. "L-Loki…" Seeing his bright emerald orbs brimming with love for her assured Natalia that all was well. "You idiot!" she cried. "I thought you were dead!"

"Did I frighten you?" he softly asked. A pain was slowly spreading in his chest. "I-I'm sorry," he croaked.

"**Don't **scare me like that again!" she quietly threatened. "I love you too much to lose you!"

Like magic, Loki swore that the pain had lessened. Her words had a healing power of their own. "You love me," he gasped in disbelief. "You love me," he repeated.

Natalia began to sulk. She didn't want him to hear her say those words until their wedding. Desperate times, desperate measures-at least Loki was alive. That was what mattered more than anything in the world to her.

Loki began to chuckle and it was then that the pain in his ribs returned. He groaned, making Natalia grow frantic.

"Loki? What is it? What hurts?" she desperately asked.

"Let me have a look at him, Natalia." Doctor Banner had finally come to his senses and was wearing a blanket Clint had brought him to cover his naked body. He undid the brass buttons on Loki's shirt and Natalia hurried away before she could see anything.

"Let me take you inside," Sif suggested as she strayed from the small group of men.

"But Loki-I need to know what's wrong!" Natalia protested.

"He's strong," Sif promised. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up." She eyed Natalia's ripped up dress, covered in grime and grass stains. "Good thing you have new ones being made." The warrior glanced behind her to see that the men were all distracted. Now was the perfect chance for her to slip away into the castle with the princess in tow.

* * *

After a long bath, Natalia changed into a new dress and waited in the Queen's study to wait for news on Loki's health. Frigga told her that the Doctor was looking over Loki as they spoke, while Clint and Thor were scouring castle grounds for any trace of witches.

"Do you remember what happened to the Doctor?" Frigga wondered, handing Natalia a cup wine.

She took a long sip of the watered-down beverage to collect her thoughts. "Loki brought us tarts and Doctor Banner ate a bad one-do you think it was a witch's doing?"

Frigga didn't want to scare Natalia with the truth, but the girl looked determined to know. "Yes. One of our servants… That's what Thor and Clinton are in search of."

"In _here?!_" Natalia coughed, nearly choking on her drink. "You don't think a witch is still here, do you?"

"No," the Queen assured her. "They couldn't detect anything, so whoever it was could have fled. The chef's name has been cleared, unless the real witch is found."

"What do you mean by 'unless the real witch is found?'" she prodded, raising a brow.

Frigga looked the young woman straight in the eyes. "He will be put to death," she said icily. "We cannot have such a risk in our home."

"But what if he's innocent? That isn't right!"

"This is for everyone's safety, Natalia," Frigga warned her. "After what became of the Doctor…" she hesitated, "my poor Loki has suffered enough… The witches could somehow be tricking us-we haven't a clue."

Natalia set her cup down to give her Mother-in-law a hug. "He's strong." She then remembered his vow to write her a poem on their wedding day. "And we made a promise. He's not the kind of man to go against his word…"

Shortly after, Odin entered the room. Frigga and Natalia were finally allowed to visit Loki, who was on bed rest in his chambers. He suffered several broken ribs and bruising around his spine, but Bruce promised that with rest and medicinal herbs, he would heal. Natalia bolted into the bedroom to kneel at Loki's bedside. She wanted to hug him, but she knew that would do him more harm than good. "Loki." Her grin widened once he smiled for her. "I knew you would be fine." Her hand reached out to cup his cheek.

Loki's hand covered hers as he pressed her warm palm against his skin. "You've given me strength, Natalia," he murmured. "I could thrive on you, and you alone."

Natalia lowered her head and allowed for her hair to fall in her face to cover her flushed cheeks. "And I, you," she softly finished.

The prince swore he heard a hushed 'I love you,' but his Mother's thrilled rejoicing muted Natalia's confession.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you alright, Sif?" Natalia asked as her corset was tightened. "You've been quiet all morning," she noticed.

Sif wasn't one to burden others with her own problems, but for Natalia, she chose to make an exception. "A newcomer entered the city the other day and Thor won't stop talking about her."

"Really?" A faint smile crossed her lips. "And you're jealous?"

"Of course I'm not!" she huffed, yanking the silk strings. "It's just annoying to keep hearing the dumb oaf talk about 'Jane this' and 'Jane that!'" Natalia inhaled sharply and Sif realized that she was being a little too rough. "Sorry!" Her fingers swiftly worked to loosen the corset.

"You're sure you're not jealous?" Natalia repeated, trying to stifle a giggle. "Because it seems like you are…"

Sif wrinkled her nose at the princess' comment. "Would you like for me to intrude on _your_ love life?" she countered. "A husband and another man on the side," she taunted with a smirk.

Natalia shot her a cold glare. "Clint's only a friend. Loki's the only one I'll ever love," she told herself.

"Clint's living in the castle now, you know. Just a friendly reminder…"

Natalia already assumed as much. With his home destroyed, the castle seemed like the next best option for residency. "I doubt we'll run into each other, if that's your concern." She stepped away from her servant to look at herself in the mirror. A new dress of dark emerald velvet adorned her figure. She smiled, positive that Loki would love it. He had a fondness towards the colour green. Hopefully, it would brighten his day to see her wearing her new gown. "I'll see you later," the princess stated before fleeing her bedroom. First on her agenda was to eat, then bring Loki his meal. The notion of having the future queen serving food appalled the staff, but Frigga thought it was sweet of her daughter-in-law to be doting on her son.

Loki was beginning his first day of strict bed rest. He wasn't too upset about the ordeal-he could sit in bed all day and read. The only downsides were the nagging pains in his torso and that poor Sleipnir would be in the care of the stable boy. He found himself staring blankly at his curtained window when a refreshing knock was heard. "Come in," he announced, fully anticipating an elderly woman serving him his meal.

"Loki."

His eyes glistened as he heard his darling princess speak his name. "Natalia!" She was the picture of absolute perfection. The colour green had never looked so beautiful until it was matched with Natalia. His eyes looked from the gown, to the necklace he had bought for her-it was meant to be worn with this dress. Her full lips smiled widely for him as she approached his bedside with a silver platter. "My eyes have never drunk in a more lovely sight."

Natalia rolled her eyes as she set up a miniature table over his legs. "You weren't expecting me, were you?"

"Not at all!" he assured her as she set his breakfast before him. "Will it be too much trouble for you to serve me like this every morning?" he playfully wondered.

"For you, I'll serve every meal, my Lord," she teased. "I need to be prepared for when I'm your wife," she hinted.

Loki chuckled and shook his head. "I'd much rather be the one to dote on you, Natalia."

She took a deep breath and let their eyes meet. "You risked your life for me," she reminded him. "That hulking creature wanted me dead, but you saved me. Loki…" Did he understand how much this meant to her? He risked his _life._ For _her_. That was unconditional love at its best. Natalia owed him with her life, and more.

"Now what kind of a dashing knight fails to save the princess?" he winked, popping a berry into his mouth.

She instantly remembered her dreams of a knight in shining armor-was that what those visions meant? Maybe it was silly, but Natalia believed in them. "We're going to be happy together," she swore, taking his large hand in hers. "We'll be happy. Just us and however many dark-haired princes I can give you." She forced herself to laugh at her last comment.

"You've already given me enough happiness to last me a lifetime," he smiled warmly. "I cannot wait for the day when we will be united as one."

"The wedding' not getting put off because of your injury, is it?" she wondered.

"Know that I will see you to the church even if my last breath was near," Loki vowed. Natalia's nose wrinkled at his wording and he laughed. "Seven weeks, Father said. I should be well enough by then," he added before continuing to eat his breakfast.

Only seven weeks until she would be named Princess Natalia Odinson. It felt like an eternity away, but she knew time would pass quickly. "Do you need anything? Some new books to read?" She got up to inspect Loki's bookshelf. Natalia had never set foot in his room until today. Soon, this would be her room, as well.

"That won't be necessary, Natalia," Loki assured her. He had several books of witchcraft randomly tucked away in between volumes of his other tomes. They were his craftily hidden secrets…

She eyed the book with the most withered spine and pulled it out from its neighbors.

Loki had been watching her like a hawk. When she touched one of _those _books, his fork clattered to his plate and he saw the woman flinch. "I need my journal, Natalia," he blurted out. "On my desk. I need a quill and ink, too."

"Okay." She nodded and approached Loki's desk, cradling the book under her arm.

"Put that away, please," he icily advised before she dared to take another step.

Natalia moved to pick up his journal and writing tools. "I'm only going to borrow it," she promised with a light laugh. "I need something new to re-"

"Natalia!" he snarled, baring his teeth.

She dropped everything, spilling ink all over the wooden floor. Natalia wasn't aware of how frightening he could be when angry-it wasn't her Loki at all. "Sorry!" she gasped. His journal was the first thing she grabbed. Luckily, only a few drops of ink got onto it. She wiped away the black mess on her sleeve and heard uneven footsteps.

"Pick up my book before you ruin it!" Loki barked, glaring down at her.

"Loki, you shouldn't be walking!" she warned him, hiding the hurt she felt from his remark. Why was he so upset?

He scowled and struggled to get down on his knees to pick up his book. Ink had seeped through the worn cover, but the inside pages were fine, much to his relief.

"Loki?" she softly asked. "Here, let me help you into bed." She offered him a hand smeared in black ink.

"You've gone and ruined your dress!" he hissed, noticing the stained sleeve. "Why can't you be more careful?!"

"I was cleaning off your precious book!" she shouted back, thrusting the journal at his torso.

His soreness changed to a shock of pain. A soft whimper escaped him as the book smacked him in the chest.

Natalia wanted to feel sorry for him, but he _yelled _at her. And for no reason! If anything, he could have _thanked _her for helping out… Loki struggled to catch his breath and Natalia's anger switched to fear in a split second. "Loki?" A shaking hand reached out to stroke his hair.

Loki hunched forward, hugging the spell book close as his body trembled. What just happened? One minute, he was happily discussing marriage, and the next… something had come over him. Something vile. He lashed out on his unsuspecting bride, all because of a poisonous book. "I…I'm so sorry… Natalia…" he gasped. His desire to protect his knowledge of black magic forced him to act like a cruel witch towards his bride. Loki's attitude was becoming just as dark as the spells tucked between the pages. "So, so sorry…" Tears fell from his eyes and he hugged the book tighter.

"Loki?" she shakily asked. "You don't seem well… Let's get you back to bed."

He weakly nodded and reached for her hand. Using Natalia as a crutch, he made it back into bed with little difficulty. "I truly am sorry... Something just came over me-the pain, I presume…"

"It was that." Natalia pointed at the book in his hands. His white shirt was now stained with ink. "Do your books really mean that much to you?" Loki set the tome aside and lowered his eyes. "Something changed, Loki," the princess continued. "You weren't yourself at all."

"Natalia, I-"

"You _yelled _at me! Scolded me! I was only trying to help!" she huffed, refusing to let him get a word in edgewise.

Loki knew he upset her with his foul temper. It physically pained him to have her cross with him. "Never again," he murmured.

Natalia handed him his journal. "I have to go. I'll let the help know to get you a clean shirt." She quickly turned on her heel and left. First thing was first, she needed to clean her dress before someone saw. She felt bad enough that it was newly made. Her thumb rubbed against the delicate fabric and she could tell that the ink was drying fast. She quickened her pace, frantically eying her sleeve and debating whether or not to see if Sif was still around.

"You lose something, Princess?" Clint joked as she brushed right past him.

She stopped and turned to acknowledge the archer. "I could use some help, actually…" she admitted, showing him her sleeve.

"I never took you for a klutz," he teased.

"If you're going to be rude, then don't help me!" she snapped.

She seemed more on edge than normal. "Is everything okay, Nat?" He wondered if yesterday's incident was still affecting her.

"Fine," she breathed. "I just…I need to clean this…"

"I'll show you to my room. There's a wash basin still there."

"The water will get dirty-I can't," she told him.

"I'll empty it and refill it," Clint assured her with a small smile. "It'll keep me distracted.

"You're sure?" she asked, raising a brow.

"You worry too much," he chuckled, hobbling over to her.

Natalia saw that the archer was limping on his right leg. He had been hurt defending her, just as Loki had. "No-Clint, don't." She pressed a hand to his chest. "I didn't know you were hurt, too."

"It really isn't that bad," he shrugged. "I think it looks worse than it really is."

Natalia bowed her head, suddenly feeling helpless. "This happened because of me…"

"Hey. Look at me," Clint whispered, gently lifting her chin. "This wasn't on you. Don't blame yourself…"

_'Why can't you be more careful?!' _Loki's words came back to haunt her and she pressed her lips into a thin line. At least Clint wasn't shouting at her like a mad man.

"Natalia?... Did something happen? With Loki?"

"Just a spat," she sadly answered. "My gown, Clint," she reminded the man. He nodded and escorted her to his makeshift bedroom one floor below them. Natalia had to remind herself that a leg injury wasn't the only thing Clint suffered. He also lost his home. Natalia knew the pain of losing everything. Granted, Clint's was only partially wrecked. Nothing went up in flames and turned to ash… Old toys, family paintings, her parents… Natalia clenched her fists so that her nails dug into her palms. The subtle pain was a nice distraction from her morbid thoughts.

"Seems like more than a little spat happened," Clint remarked as he showed her into his room and closed the door behind them.

"He's in a lot of pain," she mused. "Can't blame him for getting so wound up…" She knelt beside a small basin of water beside Clint's bed.

He took her arm and scrubbed at her sleeve with a washcloth until the water turned cloudy. "Don't worry," he whispered as he rubbed against the fabric. "We'll fix this." His hand accidentally sloshed the water, soaking Natalia's front. "Ah, shit!" he groaned. "I really didn't mean that…" Clint caught himself staring at her chest and averted his eyes.

Natalia began to laugh. "It might be easier if I had this off. Help me unbutton this." She rose to her feet and combed her hair over one shoulder. "And no peeking!" she warned him.

"C'mon, Nat, you know I can't do that…"

"This is a brand new gown!" she hissed. "Loki's already angry about me ruining it! This is his favourite!" Natalia didn't think her day could get any worse.

"You're better off getting someone else to undress you," Clint warned her. He hungrily stared at her exposed neck. It took everything in him to refrain from touching her porcelain skin.

Natalia knew that Sif would probably be in town by now. "I can't ask someone else-what if it turns out to be the dress' maker? That's rude, Clint!"

He rolled his eyes and gave in to her request. "Fine. We'll make this quick." He began slowly unbuttoning the gown at the back until he could see her corset.

"Hurry, Clint!" she impatiently reminded him.

"Take it easy!" he breathed. "I've never done this before…" The dress soon fell to her ankles and he was grateful for the underskirt to keep him from getting too worked up.

Natalia shied away from him once her dress was off. She plopped down on his bed and covered herself with his blanket. The two were silent except for the found of Clint attempting to clean the dress' sleeve. "Have you ever been with a woman before?" She pulled the blanket closer to her.

Clint stopped scrubbing to stare at her in disbelief. "That's kinda rude, isn't it?" he laughed. "And personal…" The stain was just about gone, but it was hard to tell since the dark green velvet looked darker while soaked. "But no. There's never been a woman. I mean, besides you, but…that's not working out for everyone."

"I love him, Clint," Natalia sternly reminded him.

"I'm not saying you don't," he replied. "I'm happy for you, Nat."

"Why?" she prodded. "You're mad that you can't have me, but you're still happy?" Were all men this confusing?

Clint looked down and thoughtfully stared into the basin of murky water. "When Barney and I found a stray dog this one time, my Mom said we couldn't keep it. We were upset, but she said if you love something, then let it go…" Clint stared up at the redhead. "So that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Why?" she asked gently. "Why are you saying this? To make me love you?"

"Love…can't be forced, Nat," he sighed. "I just want you to know the truth. Before you're his…"

"Just because Loki's my husband doesn't mean I'm his property!" she scoffed. "You make it sound like I'm being roped into this-I honestly love him!" It felt strange on her tongue, but she meant every word. She loved Loki, even when he wasn't on his best behaviour.

Clint dropped what he was doing to approach the bed. "Nat… I…" he hesitated. "You can't expect me to want to settle for friendship. Seeing you with him…it really pisses me off."

"You're just jealous!" the redhead scoffed.

"He's not who you think he is," Natalia.

"Loki is a good man! You have no right to-!"

"I don't think it was someone in the damn kitchen who made Banner into that thing!" Clint interrupted. "Think back to yesterday," he scowled through clenched teeth. "It was _Loki _who brought those tarts over-specifically for me! He _wanted _me to eat one, Nat!" he shouted. "And why was yours the only different one? Huh?! He wanted me to turn into some monster and try to kill you so he could play hero!"

Her palm smacked him across the cheek as tears threatened to make an appearance. "How **dare **you say that!" Natalia seethed. "He took one, too!" she reminded him. "That could have been any of you, but it happened to be Bruce!"

"Something's wrong, Natalia, and I think Loki's behind this!"

"You're wrong!" she snarled. "You're just jealous!" She jumped off the bed, still hugging the blanket close. Tears began rolling down her cheeks. "You're just like him… One second, you say how much you love me, then you make an ass of yourself!"

Clint roughly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around to look her in the eyes. "I'm only telling you this because I really do love you! I want you to be happy, but if Loki's up to something-"

"If you love me, then don't accuse your king of this-this **witchcraft!**" she ordered.

"Natalia…" he breathed, letting her go.

"I swear, Clint! Just stop it! **Stop!**" she yelled, her voice echoing throughout the four walls.

The archer bowed his head in a silent agreement.

Natalia grabbed her soaking wet gown and proceeded to wring the water out over the basin. The blanket fell off her shoulders, exposing her undergarments.

Clint went over to kneel at her side. He draped the wool blanket across her shoulders and stole the opportunity to kiss her cheek.

"Cli-!" Natalia turned her head and the man's lips met with hers. Fuming, she pulled away and grabbed the basin of dirty water and tossed it forward, completely drenching the archer.

He frowned, shaking his head in an effort to comb his hair back. "I deserved that…" he mumbled. Clint saw the livid look in her eyes and regretted his actions. "Natalia…"

Seeing him looking like a helpless dog left in the rain made her burst into a fit of laughter. His short hair was stuck to his forehead and he looked absolutely miserable.

Clint heard her giggles and heaved a sigh of relief. "Is this amusing to you? I'll catch a cold." Lowering his eyes, he saw that there was still some water left. "Hey, Princess," he smirked, "you missed some." He poured the rest of the water over her head and laughed.

Natalia squealed as the cold water seeped down her scalp into her corset. "Clint!"

"Now we're even," he snorted.

"When I'm Queen, my first order will be to toss you in a lake!" she declared with a laugh.

"You're not that mean." He began removing his jacket, followed by his ragged undershirt.

Natalia quickly turned her head to preserve her innocent eyes.

"Nat?" he blinked. "Here, I'll give you one of my clean shirts to wear. It'd be bad if I let you leave the room wet…You'll be fine staying here for a bit, right?"

She stole a glance of his bare arms in her peripheral vision. The layers of clothes had always hidden his arms toned, muscular arms. Natalia found it hard to stop staring. She let her wet hair conceal her eyes. "As long as you remain decent." The next thing she saw was the man's bare torso as he handed her a shirt. "You might wanna dry your hair, too. I'd feel awful if you got sick."

"It would technically be your fault." She snatched the shirt and went over to sit on his bed. "Unlace my corset," she ordered. "And **no **peeking." She shot him a warning glare.

Clint groaned at how difficult she was being. It was getting harder for him to be so close to her. He instantly regretted their foul play as he approached her from behind and unlaced the silk ribbons binding her corset.

She let out a soft moan of relief once her ample breasts were free of their bindings. "Thank you." Clint said nothing in return. Instead, she felt his warm fingers tracing against the sore indents left from her tight clothing. "Clint?"

Her words failed to reach him. He was far too mesmerized by her bare skin. She was so soft, so warm… The next thing he knew, he was leaning closer, pressing a kiss to her exposed shoulder.

"Clint!" she hissed.

Natalia elbowed him in the chest, but he refused to be stopped. His male instincts kicked into full gear. All he could think about was her naked flesh. There was one thing he needed from her and the bulge pressing against his pants proved it. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her onto the bed. Clint gawked at her breasts, amazed by how soft her large mounds looked. Her pink nipples matched the hue of her full lips and all he could think of was his desire for her.

"Clint!" She kneed him in the lower gut, but that didn't stop the man. His large hand began groping her breast, squeezing and massaging her. Natalia responded with a low moan as a tingling sensation filled her body. "C-Clint!" she cried. "Let me go!"

Clint silenced her by pressing his mouth to hers. He gently squeezed her breast and felt her moan into his mouth. Without thinking, his free hand trailed down her stomach until he reached her skirt. The only thing keeping him away from the core of her womanhood was but a thin piece of fabric.

Despite the pleasant shocks Clint's touch was giving Natalia, she knew that things had gone too far. She would be ruined-a disgrace-if he claimed her body. Natalia growled his name, but her words failed to reach him. She began screaming, but he forced his forearm into her mouth to stifle her. She bit down until her jaw hurt and she could taste blood. Something wasn't right. Why wasn't Clint responding to any pain? Unless this was all a witch's work? But how? Her mind went completely blank as his heated touch stroked her core. His physical contact sent a shiver up her spine. She knew it was wrong, but her virgin body ached for the blissful sensation.

The archer's thumb rubbed her clit and he heard the most lovely moan caught in her throat. Desperate to hear more, he slipped a finger between her slick folds and pulled his arm away from her mouth in time to hear her musical cry.

Natalia never would have imagined that pleasure could be experienced by such a vulgar manner. She closed her eyes and gave in to Clint's strokes, all while imagining her King's fingers. Her fingers reached up to grab Clint's sides as she felt his finger curl inside of her. "Oh, Loki!" she gasped. The finger pulled away just as suddenly as it had entered.

"Loki?" Clint's voice spat. "You're so shallow, Natalia!"

The redhead opened her eyes, unashamed by what she had said. "He's my husband-I should be thinking of him in this…situation…" She watched him pull down his pants, releasing his stiff length. "Clint!" Her eyes widened and she quickly turned her head. She drew her knees close together, but his strong arms forced her legs apart with ease. "C-Clint!" she stammered. His lips pressed against hers in a heated manner. This wasn't Clint at all! Clint was kind and caring-not lecherous and violent! Where was Loki when she needed him most? She longed for her prince to come rushing in to rescue her, but he was bed ridden with only his precious books for company. The princess' doubts were pushed aside once Clint's tip probed her entrance. She let out a frightened squeak as she felt his thick cock stretching her. Her fingers grasped at the sheets as he filled her completely. Natalia's eyes rolled back into her head as a wave of euphoria kicked in. Each and every thrust felt amazing and made her whole body grow hot. She involuntarily found herself making noises she didn't even know she was capable of making. There was a steady pressure building up in her lower belly and she wasn't ready for the passion to end until she felt release from it. She closed her eyes and relaxed as she fantasized about Loki taking her roughly. This was her wedding night and she was perfectly content about giving herself to Prince Odinson. She was his, and his alone. 'Natalia,' Loki would whisper in a husky voice. "_O-Oh!_" she gasped as her insides ignited with passion's flames. "Oh, God!" She dug her nails into Clint's ribs as her legs felt limp and satisfying shocks rippled through her. His manhood felt better than any touch or any romantic kiss. She needed his physical love to complete her, even though it meant she would be a ruined woman. They were both at the point of no return. Even if there was, Natalia wouldn't take it. Her body was filled with a burning need and Clint was helping her take care of the itch. Her inner walls clenched and Natalia moaned louder than she had expected as her orgasm made her entire body shudder. She grew overly sensitive after her release, making Clint's deep thrusts feel even more amazing.

"Oh, Nat!" he cried as he spilled into her.

"Ah!" she screamed as his hot seed filled her up. Her breathing became erratic as she tried to come down from her high.

Clint had pulled out of her and stared down at her flushed body like he was looking at her for the first time. "Natalia," he panted. "What just happened?"

She answered him with a dumb look plastered across her face. "How do you _not _know?!" she demanded.

"I…I know what we did, but…" He slapped a hand to his forehead. "My head feels weird…"

Natalia's body froze. "You don't think…that this was a witch, do you?"

Clint absently stared at the wooden floorboards. "I really don't know, Nat…"

"Fuck!" she snarled, rolling onto her side. "Fuck!"

"Nat, what…?" Clint saw a trail of tears roll down her cheek. "We're okay, Nat. There aren't any witches here…" He couldn't sense any, at least.

"We're **not **okay!" she snapped. "I'm a whore, Clint!" she shouted. "A filthy whore!" "You…" she glared at him, letting reality hit her. "You ruined me…" How was she supposed to face her prince after this? He wouldn't want a defiled bride-she would be labeled as a whore and cast out! She would be forced to return home and bring shame to her people. Maybe then, the witches would kill her for good…

"Natalia…" Clint wasn't sure what to say. Even if this was some form of mind control, he was still responsible for what happened. "I'm sorry," he began. "But I don't regret this. I love you, Natalia. And what we just shared proved our love."

"I **don't **love you!" she threatened. "I **hate **you!" She sat up and would have fallen over had Clint not helped support her. "Let me go!" She ignored her shaky knees as she put on her smock and sloppily tied her corset before slipping into her damp gown. This was the last place Natalia wanted to be. She fled from the room as quickly as she could and went to the one place she could seek comfort.

Loki had been expecting Natalia's return, only not this late… He glanced down at the current page of his spell book while quietly repeating what the book referred to as 'the enchantment of revulsion.' If the spell worked as planned, then Natalia would never again think twice about wanting Clint Barton as her friend. As for Clint, Loki had made sure to add a little 'spice' to his breakfast. Loki had given his previously failed monster potion another go. He dulled down the recipe, hoping that the effects wouldn't make Clint green with rage. Getting the potion into his food was no easy feat, though. He had a difficult time walking down dozens of stairs with an aching body. Loki only hoped that his efforts paid off. "Come in," he called out when he heard a knock on his door, accompanied by what sounded like tears. Natalia came bursting into the room, looking like an absolute wreck. Her hair was a tangled mess and her dress had wrinkles in it. "Natalia, what happened?" he asked with genuine concern in his voice.

"Everything!" She cautiously approached the edge of the bed and he motioned for her to sit. "I…I tried getting the ink stain out." She showed him her sleeve. "I think it's all gone…" If she told him about what she and Clint had done he would kill them both.

"Have a new one made," he smiled. "You may have as many as you like, your highness."

The sincerity in his voice tortured her. He didn't know… He would **never **know about her secret affair.

"Has the dress made you this distraught?" he sadly wondered. "I still feel awful for shouting earlier. I didn't sleep well last night with this pain."

"I'm sorry, Loki," she breathed. She wasn't apologizing on behalf of his injury, though. The tears fell even harder and Natalia buried her face in her hands.

"Natalia?" Loki ignored the nagging ache in his ribs as he sat up to wrap his arms around her. "What is it?"

Heart racing, Natalia knew that he knew something was amiss. "I…ran into Clinton," she stated, fighting to keep her voice even. "I was still upset you yelled at me and I confided in him…" At least she was partially telling the truth. "Then he accused you of being a witch and I smacked him." She swore Loki's heart stopped beating at the mentioning of a witch, but then his comforting chuckle reassured her. "I hate him," she growled, grabbing the front of Loki's shirt. "Let him stay to protect our home, but know that I refuse to have anything to do with him!"

Loki was grinning from ear to ear. Everything had gone according to plan. "From now on, it will be you and I, my darling," he murmured, cupping her face. "My Natalia."

Natalia ignored the hurt she felt from her infidelity. The unforgivable deed was behind her. From here on out, she had only Loki. "I love you," she mumbled before kissing his lips. "My Loki."

Unbeknownst to Loki, his spell had worked, but not without a cost-the price being his bride-to-be's purity. Asgard's future King had chosen to walk a dark road, and for his sins, he would pay dearly.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! And thank you for reading and following/faving!**

Natalia lay awake in the dark confines of her bedroom thinking only about her previous intimacies with Clint. She needed more of that special touch, more physical contact. Natalia couldn't wait until her wedding, though. The pesky itch she couldn't scratch nagged her like the plague. She rolled onto her back and spread her legs beneath the wool blanket. Her fingers pulled up her nightgown and rubbed against the apex of her thighs. She bit her lower lip as she slowly stroked the core of her heat. Natalia instantly felt a wetness between her legs. She let her middle finger part her folds and she subconsciously ground her hips. There was a spot Clint managed to hit that felt like electricity running through her. She longer for more of those sensual sparks in her belly that made her entire body tremble with delight. Her thumb happened to graze her clit as she shifted her body and she gasped. Natalia repeatedly stroked her sensitive nub and felt her need increase. It didn't take long for her fingers to become slick with her fluids. Her middle finger easily slipped inside of her. So easily that Natalia added a second. She let her fingers explore on the inside, desperately searching for her pleasure spot. A muffled whimper escaper her as she curled her fingers and rubbed against a particularly sensitive spot. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined Loki's slender fingers touching her ever so softly and slowly quickening his strokes. Natalia could almost hear the sweet nothings he would whisper into her ear. She shoved her fingers in as far as they would go. Her need for Loki's length filling her couldn't wait. Fingers had to abide for now. She caressed herself until her hand cramped and her fingers were wrinkled and sticky. Natalia had to leave her room and sneak down the candle-lit hallway to wash her hands off. Once she returned to her bed, she easily fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

Loki had been spending a week on strict bed rest. He was content, especially since Natalia would bring him his meals and chat with him. The preparations for their wedding were underway. Natalia's dress was being made, as were Loki's ceremonial garments. There was still much planning to do and royal documents to sign. Frigga insisted that Loki took time to rest before he and Natalia were to travel to several different countries to meet with the rulers of the lands. In the meantime, Loki had mastered a few new spells-levitation and transportation. The levitation spell came in handy to summon books towards him. That way, he didn't need to get up and hinder his healing. After a full week of being cooped up in his room reading and practicing his magic while alone, he decided to reward two very special people with a surprise. Feeling fully recovered, Loki made his way to the library and stared down towards the apple tree. He concentrated and with a wave of his hand, he had a ripe apple picked from the tree and directed it towards the barn for Sleipnir to eat. Finally, there was Natalia. He summoned another apple into his palm, then made it vanish. Loki knew that once his princess awoke, she would be greeted with a special treat.

* * *

"Natalia!" Sif hovered over the redhead's bed, seconds away from yanking on her curls. She wouldn't _really _do it, but the princess was becoming more and more difficult to awaken. One morning, Sif had heard her softly moaning Loki's name. She dared not say a word-she knew Natalia would quickly become defenseless about it. "Natalia…"

She finally awoke, stretching her arms as she sat up in bed. Natalia had been sleeping much better since she began engaging in nightly self exploration. Her fingers were never enough to set her off like when she was with Clint, but she discovered just where she liked to be touched-Loki would need to know these details once they were married.

"Where did you get this?" Sif wondered, picking up a crisp, red apple from the night table.

"Hmm?" Natalia hummed, sorting her thoughts. She eyed the fruit and grew curious. "You found that in here?"

"I'd ask if anyone came in here, but you've been sleeping like a log," Sif quipped with a smirk.

As much as Natalia wanted to eat the piece of fruit, she feared that it could've been cursed. Apples forever reminded her of Loki and their heated first kiss. What she would give to taste him again… "Throw it away. I don't want another repeat of the Banner incident."

"A wise choice." Sif nodded and helped her highness out of bed.

After Natalia was dressed, she went over to the library to grab some books for Loki-but mostly for her-to read. While there, she happened to see Clint walking away from the stables. That was the first she had seen of him in a week. All she knew was that he was busying himself with repairs to his home. Natalia had no desire to see him, though. She approached the large window and stared out towards the barn. I felt like years since she had last been out there. Once Loki was well enough to walk around, she wanted him to climb the apple tree with her and maybe take another ride on Sleipnir. She caught sight of Loki's steed nibbling on something red and she threw her books to the ground. An apple! The horse was eating an apple! Natalia stormed out of the library to begin her search for Clint Barton. She had just seen him leave the stables-to feed Sleipnir, no doubt. That wasn't what angered her, though. If he gave the horse an apple, then _he _must have given her one, too. She nearly ran out of the castle and found Clint hauling a large rock towards a stone pile he had collected. "You're sick!" she snapped at him. Clint dropped the rock and stared at her in genuine confusion. His innocent look normally made her smile, but not today. "You snuck into my room! Didn't you?!" she angrily accused.

"What? Nat, why the hell-"

"I found your 'present!'" she growled. "And I had it thrown out!"

"Nat?" he blinked. "Are you okay?" He worriedly eyed her.

"You gave Sleipnir an apple, too! I saw him eating it!"

"'Apple?'" he parroted. "He had that when I just checked the barn. I thought the errand boy brought it or something…"

Now it was Natalia's turn to be confused.

"You thought I brought you an apple?" he asked, trying to stifle a chuckle. "You know I would never sneak into your room, your Majesty. Let alone leave you with something that corny…"

Natalia felt her face grow red with embarrassment. If Clint didn't do it, then was it really a witch's doing? "Shut up!" she snapped at the man, turning on her heel. Before she could walk off, Clint spoke up.

"You really hate me, don't you?" he quietly asked.

Natalia stopped in her tracks and folded her arms across her chest. "Yes."

"Okay, then," he shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "But…know that I still don't regret it, Nat. I still care," he breathed. "Always will."

She turned to shoot him a warning glare. "Stop it, Clint! This ends now-all of it!"

"What? You won't even be my friend anymore? I wasn't myself that night-and I'm still so sorry for what happened!" he whined.

"Clint!" she hissed. "Enough!"

Clint watched her go with sad eyes. She seemed angrier than normal. He wondered if this was the effects of magic… What if this was Loki? Clint was still suspicious about the prince. Something wasn't right about him. And he intended to find out what.

Natalia opened the door and nearly had a heart attack as Loki appeared inches away from her. "You're up," she dumbly stated.

"I'm feeling much better," he promised with a charming grin. "Did I surprise you?"

"A little," she admitted with a breathy laugh.

"Did you happen to find a special something this morning?" he asked, reaching out to toy with her curls.

"Wait…" Her brows furrowed in confusion. "That was from you?" He nodded and she shook her head. "You were in my bedroom?" His smirk widened and she took that as a yes. "Loki, you shouldn't take any risks like that!" Now that she knew it wasn't witchcraft, Natalia suddenly felt awful for getting on Clint's case.

"You are to be my wife. I see no harm in leaving you a snack-you've been bringing meals to me for the past week." She didn't need to know of his powers-not yet, at least.

"When you were awake!" she corrected him. "Don't sneak up on me again," she warned him.

"Do you not wish for me to see your sleeping face? Soon enough, I will have the pleasure of waking to it every morning," he added, feeling pleased.

Natalia inched closer and reached for his hands. If only he knew how badly she yearned for him. "But until then, we wait."

The prince nodded and couldn't refrain from kissing the top of her head. "Let's take a walk, Natalia."

"I didn't even have breakfast-did you? I was about to bring you yours…and some books…" Clint was to thank for that distraction.

"Then we can eat first," Loki decided. "I just wanted to see Sleipnir before we left."

Natalia gave him a puzzled look. "You just saw him, though. I saw him eating an apple-you gave me one, too," she reminded him.

"But Sleipnir misses _you_," he corrected. Natalia was somehow catching on. He couldn't let her discover his secret just yet.

She rolled her eyes. "Did he tell you that?"

"Yes," he chuckled.

Natalia managed a small smile before returning her attention to Loki's previous statement. "Are we going somewhere, Loki? You just said-"

"Mother told you, didn't she?" he blinked. "We need to announce our marriage to the neighbouring countries. They know of Prince Odinson, but you, Lady Romanova, are from a much farther land. They eagerly await your presence."

Frigga had mentioned to Natalia a few days ago that she and Loki were to travel, but Natalia didn't realize they would be leaving so soon. "Are you well enough to be travelling?" she asked.

"I told Mother just last night that I'm up for the journey. Besides," Loki continued, "I would love nothing more than to share a carriage with you, my darling."

The princess blushed at the notion of being all alone with her prince in a cramped carriage for hours of travel. "If you insist," she coolly remarked.

The couple then paid Sleipnir a brief visit. Loki was overjoyed to finally nuzzle with his pet again. "Daddy has been away for too long, hasn't he?" The Prince offered his horse an apple which he greedily ate.

"Sometimes I wonder if you love him more than me," Natalia teased, stroking the horse's soft mane.

"I love you both equally," Loki promised. "I can't possibly choose."

"It's gonna get harder once we add our children in," she chuckled.

Loki's features softened at the mentioning of their offspring. "I eagerly await the day I see you holding the product of our love in your arms."

Natalia couldn't refuse his warm, loving smile. She still wasn't fond of the idea of motherhood, but she wouldn't deny Loki of something he desperately wanted. In a way, the two would both have their desires fulfilled-Natalia would get to know what it felt like to be one with her beloved and Loki would get his child in due time. "Me, too."

Loki gave Sleipnir a quick kiss on the nose. "We'll be home soon," he promised. "Shall we go, Natalia? Breakfast awaits us." He offered her his hand.

The redhead nodded and reached for his warm grasp.


	12. Chapter 12

"Everything you will need is packed and ready to go," Ivan announced to the royal couple. "If we leave now, we should reach York by sundown."

"Excellent timing," Loki grinned. "Let's hope we make it in time to attend Lord Stark's dinner feast. He throws quite the party, Natalia."

The princess nodded, distracted by the sound of approaching footsteps. She turned her head and saw Clint approaching the three.

"The King himself asked me to look after you," Clint announced with a grin. "King Odin wants only the best protection for the Prince and Princess. I've been appointed as your hunter, and servant to Prince Odinson while on our travels."

Loki frowned, but he couldn't refuse his Father's orders, especially with Ivan present. He needed to remain calm and collected for now. "Of course. You will ride in the carriage with Natalia's handmaiden," he decided.

"Wait!" Natalia knew Sif's identity could possibly be at risk if she was forced to ride with Clint. Ivan was arranged to travel in a carriage with she and Loki, but plans needed to change. She couldn't have Sif sit with Loki, either. Surely he would discover her secret… That left only one viable option. "Loki, I'd feel safer with Clinton riding with us." She noticed the archer's small smile. "He can ride alongside the horseman," she finished.

Loki flashed Clint a sly grin. "You heard the Princess' wishes. Leave us to sit in private."

"Pardon me, my Lord, but that doesn't feel appropriate," Ivan countered. "You and Lady Natalia alone…"

"Sir Barton is free to poke in every so often," Loki promised Natalia's servant. "The privacy will also make it easier for me to concentrate on glancing over the documents my Father gave me," he added matter-of-factly. "It will also benefit Natalia's mind if she, too, glanced over the papers."

Natalia nodded at Ivan and he gave in. "Very well," he agreed. "If you need anything, my Lady, I will only be a stagecoach away."

"Thank you, Ivan."

"Are we all set to make our leave?" Loki asked, feeling pleased with the new arrangements. Now he had Natalia's company all to himself. He approached his carriage and helped Natalia hop in after him. "It will be just you and I, my darling," he crooned. Loki could feel Clint's death glare as the archer slammed the carriage door shut.

"Yeah," she responded. Natalia hoped that she would get an opportunity to speak with Clint alone at least once during their travels. She needed to apologise for lashing out at him earlier.

"Where to begin?" Loki breathed as he reached for a rolled up sheet of parchment at his side. "Royal documents or simple chatting?"

Natalia began to laugh. "So you _weren't_ lying about the documents."

"Have I ever lied to you before?" he innocently wondered.

"I see you as an honest man," Natalia began. "Which is why I intend on being honest with you…" She lowered his voice in case Clint could overhear. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you…"

Loki's lips formed a thin line. "Ask away," he said after a moment. The prince didn't like the idea of lying to her-he was already keeping so much from Natalia. If worse came to worse, he would lie and all his problems would be solved.

"Did you do something to those tarts-the ones from the day the Doctor went mad?"

Loki held his breath as he forced a straight face. "Natalia!" he gasped. "You don't…You think _I _did that to Doctor Banner?" he worriedly asked.

"Clinton has his suspicions," she breathed. Judging from the look of worry in Loki's eyes, he was telling her the truth.

_Clinton. Of course… _He clenched his fist in his lap. "That's quite an alarming suspicion…" he began. "But why tell me this? You see him as a friend, so why betray him?" Loki suspiciously inquired.

Natalia closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat. "He wasn't acting like himself last week," she admitted. "He even told me that…that he thinks he was possessed at one point."

"Natalia," Loki gravely stated, "you telling me this gives me reason to have him burned at the stake…"

"Then would you have Banner burned as well?" she countered. "Don't forget that something came over you, too, that one day," Natalia reminded him. "You yelled at me-you weren't yourself that day…"

"What is it that you're hinting at?" the prince wondered, stroking his chin.

Natalia stared at her fiancé in silence for a brief moment. "What if we're being targeted?"

Loki paused, taking a deep breath as his mind contemplated what to say. He needed to agree with her notion-it all made sense in his mind. Loki could agree with his bride and pull all of the suspicion away from himself. "I suppose that could be the case," he concurred. "However, don't let this assumption give you any reason to fret."

"I could be next, though! Loki-"

He silenced her by pressing a finger to her lips. "I refuse to let that happen. No matter how strong the spell, know that I will find a way to counter it," he vowed. "Nothing will ever harm you."

"You can't promise me that," she said in a low growl. "Don't try to sound heroic-this is magic we're dealing with! _Witches!_"

"Do you trust me, Natalia?" he asked with a kind smile.

"Of course I do," she quietly answered.

"Then believe in me. Please." He reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Natalia flashed him a smirk. "You're a fool in love, aren't you?"

"_'__I am two fools, I know, for loving, and for saying so,'_" he quoted.

Natalia quietly laughed as she leaned in to boldly kiss him. She desperately forced her tongue between his teeth. How she missed the taste of his tongue and the way his hot breath mixed with hers.

Loki's body went rigid as their lips made contact. He didn't expect for Natalia to become so daring. His large hands grabbed her shoulders in an attempt to hold her back, but she was stronger than she looked. "Natalia?" he hummed once she took a moment to catch her breath. "We'll catch hell if we're caught like this, you know," he warned the woman.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she straddled his hips. "Is the Prince afraid?" she playfully wondered.

"I was thinking you would be the one showing fear, my darling," he smirked, running a hand through her hair.

"Don't forget you're talking to a woman who killed a witch." She lowered his hips against his and could feel what her body needed rub between her legs.

The carriage was suddenly feeling _too_ hot for Loki. He tried to ignore his growing arousal that was pressing against his trousers, but Natalia's gentle grinding was sending him over the edge. A soft groan escaped his throat. "P-please stop."

Natalia began to laugh as she heard her prince's whimper. His body was betraying him, but that didn't stop Loki from being the proper man that he was. Natalia had complete power over him in this situation. He was all hers-they were all alone. She had the chance to fulfill her inner desires, but she chose to pull away and sit on the bench right beside him. Loki wasn't like other men. He wasn't a lecherous pervert behind closed curtains-he was a man with a pure heart and Natalia found that endearing.

"May I ask what that was all about?" Loki asked, folding his hands in his lap in an effort to conceal his need.

"I felt like kissing my husband," she innocently answered. There was something about Loki's yearning for her that made her want to refrain from taking him right then and there. He was a proper gentleman who wanted nothing more than to keep her as an innocent woman… even though she wasn't.

"Really, now?" he raised a brow. In his eyes, she seemed more like a wild animal in heat. He would never say that to her-Natalia had a fiery temper that he didn't wish to mess with.

"You love me," she breathed in an earnest tone. "Here we are all alone, yet you don't even _try _taking my gown off."

"Have I passed your test, then?" he pondered with a chuckle.

"Yes." Natalia's fingers laced around his.

"Self-discipline will only make our hearts grow stronger," Loki whispered into her ear. "I would be lying if I said that I haven't been dreaming of our wedding night," he added in a seductive tone.

So there _was_ a dark side to the prince. At least he kept that to himself… "Speaking of that…" Natalia needed to change the subject before she became more riled up. "How's that poem coming along? You made me a promise…"

"And it is a promise I intend to keep."

"Can you give me one stanza?" Natalia wondered.

Loki took in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Natalia, but a promise is a promise."

"You haven't written anything, have you?" she asked doubtfully.

"Of course I have!" the prince objected. "One week on bed rest-what exactly do you think I did with my time?" he heartily laughed. "I thought of you, and only you, my Natalia." He reached for a lock of her hair and began winding it around his finger. "Sweet thoughts of you made my body stronger."

Natalia hummed in approval. His voice was music to her ears. "Is that part of the poem?"

"Something of the sort," Loki mused.

She rested her head against his shoulder. "Talk to me about you-about your life," she murmured.

"Are you going to fall asleep?" He continued caressing her silky locks.

"Maybe…It's a long trip-I want to get to know you better. This is a perfect chance."

"Well," Loki began. "Where shall I start?"

"A happy moment," Natalia said with a smile. The prince took a long pause and Natalia had to glance up at him, curious if he was still awake.

"I believe it was my sixth birthday," he finally said. "Thor had gotten a horse for his and ever since then, I had always wanted one of my own. When my day of birth came around, Mother woke me up and told me to come help her with the garden." Loki closed his eyes as he replayed the memory in his head. "Mother and I often tended to the flowers together, so I found nothing to be out of the ordinary. As she led me outside, she suggested we pick some apples first. I ran ahead of her and there, tethered to our apple tree was a dashing foal standing at about my height-he's grown so much since then," he reminisced. "But I remember how excited I was. I ran straight to my mother and threw my arms around her. A boy couldn't have asked for a better present."

"That's very sweet," Natalia giggled. She could already picture a young Loki, wide eyed and brimming with joy. "Tell me another story?"

Unable to deny her request, Loki indulged her with the tale of an encounter with a wild Bildshnipe while hunting with Thor and his Father.

"A what?" Natalia asked. She thought that he was joking when he said the creature's name.

"A Bildshnipe," he repeated. "They aren't nature's most majestic creatures, I'm afraid-you aren't missing much!" He laughed, then went on to tell her how Thor attempted to ride it, only to have the beast stab him in the rear with its antlers.

Natalia occasionally laughed. Her drooping eyelids kept making her lose focus. She finally drifted off to sleep during Loki's story about when he made himself sick after eating three helpings of desserts. Natalia was out like a light for the duration of the trip. A rapping on the wooden door jolted both her and Loki awake.

"We've reached York," Clint announced, frowning as he noticed the couple had been cuddling side by side.

"Yes. Thank you." Loki felt groggy from his nap. Looking at his fiancé, he could see that she felt the same way.

Natalia climbed out of the carriage with Clint's help. The sky was dark and the only lights were those from the flaming torches Ivan and Sif were holding.

"My Lord and Lady of Asgard." A guard dropped to his knees once his Price and Princess emerged. "Lord Anthony Stark awaits your presence."

"Wonderful!" Loki beamed. "We owe him many thanks for hosting us. Come, my darling." He linked arms with the redhead. "You're in for a treat tonight."

She grinned widely and let Loki lead her inside the grandiose palace of Lord Stark.

**A/N:**Loki's quote 'I am two fools, I know,  
For loving, and for saying so.' -John Donne


	13. Chapter 13

"Lord Odinson and Lady Romanova," a man with short blond hair neatly combed to one side greeted them. "It is truly an honour to have you in our presence." He bowed as he reached for the brass door handle behind him. "You must forgive Lord Stark for beginning his festivities without you, but he can be _quite _persistent."

Loki raised a hand and heartily chuckled. "He is forgiven, so long as Lady Natalia enjoys herself."

"Lord Stark always ensures a good time." He opened the door for them, welcoming them into the banquet hall that bustled with life.

"Many thanks, Jarvis," Loki added as he held his fiance's hand. "Shall we?" he asked Natalia.

There were three rows of long wooden tables that stretched across the vast room. All of the tables were decorated with ruby table cloths and golden plates full of food and goblets filled to the brims with wine. For a banquet so large, there had to be nearly three hundred people in the room. Every seat was occupied as guests feasted and chatted with one another. Natalia had never attended a party like this before so she tightly squeezed Loki's hand as he led her down an aisle. The princess took the chance to admire the paintings lining the hall's walls. Each portrait seemed to be of the same man with dark hair and a goatee wearing different robes and jewels in each one. Natalia assumed that it had to be Lord Stark. Her first impression of him was that he was vain, but still kind-if he threw ornate parties like this for the town, then he was either very giving, or a big show-off.

"So this is the next Queen?"

Natalia looked away from a glistening chandelier to make eye contact with the man from the portraits. "Lord Stark, I presume?"

"My close friends call me Tony. Your husband's always too formal with me. I don't like it," he smirked, making Loki laugh. Tony stopped playing with the sapphire stone that hung around his neck to rise from his seat "Everyone!" he declared, raising his arms in the air. The hall fell silent in an instant. "Our future King and Queen. Let's offer up a drink in their honour!" He grabbed his goblet and lifted it high into the air and applause and cheers broke out.

"Forgive his rudeness," a woman with strawberry blonde hair interrupted. "Tony will do anything to have an excuse for another drink."

"He's only being himself, Lady Virginia," Loki assured her.

"A pleasure to meet you, Tony." Natalia smiled for the Lord and curtsied.

"Take a seat," Tony urged her. "Right beside me, if you'd like," he added, motioning for her to sit at the table especially reserved for his closest friends. "Jarvis, pour them some wine!" he ordered. "While I speak with my old pals Blondie and Robin Hood."

"Tony!" Virginia hissed. Her attempt to get her husband to sit failed. She watched him leave their table to greet Thor and Clint. "He's just being rude now," she groaned.

"Overly friendly," Loki corrected her. "Natalia, this is Anthony's wife, Virginia."

"Hello," Natalia smiled. She almost pitied her-if Tony always acted 'rude' as she had put it, then her hands must have always been full.

"My Lady." Virginia rose and curtsied to her. "A pleasure to meet you. I wish you and Lord Odinson the very best."

"That means a lot to Loki and I. Thank you," she added.

"As my husband said, please have a seat."

Jarvis soon arrived carrying a tray of food and wine for the Prince and Princess. Natalia sat in the unoccupied seat that belonged to Tony while Loki sat at her other side. Being higher up than the other tables allowed Natalia to overlook the whole room. She saw Tony make room for Ivan, Clint, Thor, and Sif at a table and make sure that they were all served their meals. The princess couldn't help but feel bad for Sif who was hiding her face with a scarf wrapped around her head.

"This smells excellent," Loki remarked upon glancing down at his plate. "Doesn't it, Natalia?"

She snapped out of her daze and hummed in agreement. "Yeah. It does." Her stomach began to growl once the smell of fresh meat reached her nostrils. She realized that she hadn't eaten all day and gladly went to work on her dinner. Natalia ate slowly, savouring every bite in order to look like a proper lady.

"Introduce me to that lovely lady of yours later on," Tony suddenly whispered into Natalia's ear. "She's a shy one-tell her I don't bite, won't you?" he added, pointing to Sif as he took his seat.

"Sure," Natalia said after a sip of wine. She wanted to laugh, knowing deep down that Sif could easily take down Tony.

"So Natalia," the lord continued. "You ripped a witch apart with your bare hands? I find that _very_ alluring."

"Excuse me?" she repeated. "No, I didn't-"

"How rumours spread!" Loki chuckled to himself. "You've found some unreliable sources, Anthony."

"Not so," Natalia interrupted. "I _did _burn it at the stake. That counts as a kill. What do you think, Tony?" she prodded, taking another sip of her drink.

"I think that I like a queen with a backbone. You best watch your back, Odinson," he warned Loki. "The Lady Romanova is a fearless one."

"I wouldn't say 'fearless,'" she quietly added.

"Nonsense!" Tony scoffed. "You're a fearless ruler and I will make this news known."

"I am glad my wife meets your approval," Loki remarked with a grin.

"How do you two know each other?" Natalia inquired.

Tony took a big swig of alcohol. "Royalty knows royalty. We've gone riding several times together."

"And every time, you would manage to attract a new lady friend," Loki chimed in.

"The women go nuts if you've got riches and a fancy title attached to your name. But you're my one and only, Pepper," he quickly added, turning to Virginia.

"'Pepper?'" Natalia repeated.

"Her pet name," Tony said. "They can call you Pepper, right, Pep?" he asked his wife.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "I've been called that more than my given name. All thanks to Tony." She managed a small smile.

"She was asking for it," Tony told Natalia. "She needed to see me the day before our wedding, but the servants wouldn't allow it. So you know what she did? She grabbed a handful of pepper and blew it in their faces as a distraction."

"That's very sweet, in a way," Natalia laughed.

"I'm just surprised you remember the story," Pepper added.

"It's one I can't forget no matter how many pints I've drank."

A light blush coated Pepper's freckled cheeks. "We'll see about that," she grinned.

Natalia felt that Tony had been coming off as a bit conceited, but he was sweet deep down.

A group of jesters joined in on the feast, dancing up and down the space between tables while playing music. Natalia found herself finishing off her second glass of wine, while Tony had downed at least five. Loki took the entertainment as an opportunity to test his newfound tricks. He magically refilled both Tony and Natalia's glasses while both were distracted. When the crowd grew less energetic, Tony staggered onto his chair and stood tall for the whole room to see. "I'd like to say a few words!" His voice resounded throughout the banquet hall. "Tonight's festivities may be coming to a close, but," he pointed down to Natalia and Loki. "My next grand shindig will be at the Odinson wedding!" he declared. "And I'm inviting everyone!"

Pepper made eye contact with Natalia and mouthed 'I'm sorry.'

* * *

"I trust that you enjoyed yourself?" Loki asked his fiancé as he led her out of the dining hall.

"Very much," Natalia grinned. She leaned close to Loki, feeling a bit light headed from all of the wine. She swore she only had two glasses, but then again, maybe it was three. Or four. Between the music and the talking, Natalia lost track of everything. "We've gotten his approval-he even said he'll attend the wedding." She stumbled a bit, but Loki caught her before she could fall over.

"Yes. Let's just pray that things don't get _too _unmanageable." He wondered if he overdid it with refilling her glass… "I want you to be able to remember our wedding."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, her words a bit slurred.

"Natalia," he chuckled, "you've partook in a little too much fun tonight," he noted as he escorted her outside into the hallway.

"You wanted me to have fun. You and Stark." She rested her head against his chest. The warmth of his body felt cozier than any blanket. She could stay cuddled up to him all night long.

Loki stroked her hair and began humming to her. He found her neediness adorable. "I hope you enjoyed yourself, Natalia," he murmured.

"I did." She wrapped her arms around his middle. "Loki?" she whispered, gazing into his eyes.

"Hmm?"

She stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss.

Loki could taste the tart wine that lingered on her breath. "Natalia," he gasped.

She began to giggle like a child. "You're too modest, my Lord."

"Am I?" His slender fingers intertwined with hers. "Perhaps you have had one too many drinks. You may very well be as far gone as Anthony," he mused.

"I love your voice-have I ever told you that?" she slurred, resting her head against his chest. "It's like music."

"You've become a poet, it seems." Loki gingerly kissed the top of her head.

"I'm nowhere near as good as _you_, though. Loki…"

"I wouldn't say that," he quietly laughed.

"You're being modest." Natalia shoved his body against the wall. "Let's go somewhere private," she whispered with a devious look in her eyes.

The prince gazed at her in stunned silence. He wanted to seize the moment and obey her whim, but that wouldn't have been just of him, especially while in another's home. Loki needed to uphold his reputation, as well as Natalia's. "Next time," he promised. "We'll visit again after we marry."

"What if we just got married now?" she grinned. "Loki-please!"

"Natalia, don't be absurd! You aren't thinking!" he sternly warned her.

"Loki!" she pouted.

"My Lord…" Clint's voice interrupted their debacle and Loki was relieved to see the archer for a change. "Your quarters are ready. Same for the Princess…" He could smell the alcohol on the couple, even though he was standing several feet away.

Loki nodded and managed to pry Natalia away. "Thank you, Clinton. Please fetch Natalia's handmaiden before I turn in for the night. She's had a tad too much to drink tonight," he chuckled.

Clint wanted to make a snarky remark, but chose to bite his tongue. "Yes, my Lord…" He kept a close eye on Natalia at dinner, same for Loki, and he couldn't help but notice the way Loki would stare at his fiancé's glass and occasionally circle his wrist. There was witchcraft brewing, this Clint was sure of. Still, he needed more proof. Rather, he needed Natalia to see it, too. He found Natalia's handmaiden with Ivan and brought her to the royal couple.

"Come, Natalia," Sif whispered, taking Natalia's hand in hers.

"But Loki…" she sulked.

Sif yanked on her wrist and felt Loki giving her a disgusted look. "You will see him tomorrow, my Lady…" She dragged Natalia off to her room for the night and helped her get dressed into her nightgown. "The princess can't hold her alcohol, I take it," she mused once Natalia was in bed.

"Don't make me sound like a child!" Natalia scoffed.

Sif folded her arms across her chest and laughed. "As you wish, my Lady. Good night," she added before turning on her heel.

"Wait!" Natalia sat up in bed, clutching the wool blanket. "I'm sorry you have to hide from everyone..."

Sif turned and smiled softly. "Lie down and rest now."

"Stark wants to talk to you," she added. "He thinks you'd be easy. But you'd defeat him, right? Because he's a womanizer… Is that wrong?" she sadly asked. "He loves his wife, but the way he speaks with other women..."

"Bed, my Lady," Sif said, rolling her eyes. What nonsense was this girl speaking?

"What if Loki thinks I don't love him?" she continued. "Clint and I are close-he won't like that."

"Natalia!" the servant snapped. She was growing tired of the drunken rambling. "Bed!" She left, slamming the door behind her on the way out.

* * *

"Stop pulling!" Natalia winced as Sif roughly brushed through her tangled curls. Her head was pounding and Sif wasn't helping.

"Forgive me, but you deserve this," Sif smirked.

Natalia noticed the handmaiden's playful grin in the mirror. "You're horrible."

"Horrible was overhearing from Clint about how you were practically throwing yourself at Loki…"

"What?!" she gasped, eyes wide. "What did I say?" Or do… She silently prayed that they didn't do anything, especially since she could hardly recall the previous night. "Why was Clint even talking about it?!"

"Relax." The woman rolled her eyes. "He had to come get me since Loki ordered him. I didn't speak to him, but he told me you were rambling about eloping with your prince right away."

Natalia swore under her breath. There was no way she could face Loki if she made a fool of herself. "What do I do, Sif?" she groaned in defeat.

"Atone for what an ass you made of yourself," Sif laughed.

"I hate you," Natalia groaned. "You're useless…"

* * *

Loki wasn't in the dining hall when Natalia and Sif went to get breakfast. There were several strangers occupying some seats. The only person Natalia could recognize was Clint.

"I'll join you later," Sif whispered before leaving the princess' side.

Natalia nodded and made her way towards Clint's seat. "Clint…" She sat down across from him.

"Milady," he nodded, swallowing a mouthful of bacon.

The princess stayed silent for a moment as she contemplated what to say. Clint's eyes didn't once meet with hers and she wondered if he was angry. "The party was fun," she quietly began.

"It was alright," he shrugged.

He was mad-Natalia could tell by his sunken shoulders and lowered eyes. "My servant told me I made a fool of myself." Natalia forced herself to laugh. "Sorry you had to overhear that…Not much I could do in that state, though," she mused. "Never again, though," she laughed.

Clint shook his head. "Do you wanna go somewhere with me? There was something I wanted to show you…"

"I'm not sure what Loki and I need to do today… We're supposed to speak in the city or something like that…"

"We won't be gone long," he promised. "I thought I'd give you a private tour." The archer finally smiled for her.

Natalia arched a brow. "You know your way around town already?"

"Not much has changed here from when I was a kid," he chuckled.

"Oh!" she breathed. "I didn't know you were from here…"

"Care for a tour, Princess?" he smirked.

Natalia decided that a tour wouldn't hurt. She wanted to get to know her surroundings better in hopes of forming a tighter alliance with the people. "Sure," she grinned.


	14. Chapter 14

"And this is where Barney and I would run errands." Clint pointed towards a line of small shops. This was one of the few sights he had pointed out to Natalia. Each one had been related to his family in some way.

"Clint," Natalia finally spoke up, "you don't have to keep talking about them if you don't want to. Please," she added. "If it upsets you-"

"I'm not upset." He smiled for her with a carefree grin. "I like remembering them, you know? It reminds me of happier times."

"So you're unhappy now?" she blankly asked.

Clint sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "No-I am happy. Just… it's okay to miss my parents."

"Are you trying to say that I _don't _miss mine?" Natalia stopped in her tracks.

"No!" He quickly turned to her and shook his head. "I swear I didn't mean it like that, just… to each his own?" Natalia began walking ahead of him and he knew he had said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry, Nat-I didn't mean to sound cruel…"

The princess stopped and shook her head. "I'd rather not think about my past," she stated. "The future is what's important now."

"You sure you're not mad?"

Natalia searched his eyes and wondered how he could remain so positive after what the witches had done. The world was cruel-especially to him. "How does it not upset you?" she asked.

Clint managed a small smile. "My job helps me get revenge. I can't think of a better way to let my anger out than on those bastards."

"Promise me you won't stop. Keep killing them-that's my order as your queen." A look of determination flickered in her eyes.

"But you're not my queen yet," he laughed. "Why should I listen to you, 'Princess.'"

Natalia knew he was joking and rolled her eyes.

"Can I just take you to one more place?" he asked. "Really quick…"

"Okay," she agreed, following after him.

* * *

"Ivan, have you seen Natalia?" Loki asked as he poked his head into the servant's room.

The man shook his head in reply. "I took a walk through the market not more than an hour ago and overheard that she was walking with who I assumed to be Clinton. She should be safe, my Lord-please try not to fret…"

Loki sighed and shook his head. Of course she would be out and about with Barton… "We have to speak to the public in a few hours time. I shall find her," he declared.

"You shouldn't wander alone, my Lord…"

"Please don't worry, Ivan," the prince coolly answered. "I believe Clinton told me he was taking Natalia down by the river. "That area is safely guarded by Anthony's men." He turned on his heel and briskly left the room. No, Clinton didn't tell him _anything _regarding his fiancé's whereabouts. But he could easily find the two-there was no hiding. Loki hurried to his bedroom and reached for his leather jacket he had worn on the ride into town. There was a long strand of red hair clinging to the fabric and the prince smiled to himself. He opened his palms and let the single piece of hair levitate before catching aflame and revealing to him a small portal. Staring into the gateway, Loki could see Clint leading Natalia down a row of small houses. He wasn't sure where they were, but within seconds, Loki's body vanished into a cloud of thick green smoke.

* * *

"So this is where you used to live?" Natalia eyed the wooden cottage that stood before them. It looked homey enough and small houses felt very Clinton-like to her.

"Not exactly," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is an entirely new place…"

So a fire had taken everything from Clint, as well. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"Don't be. My home is in Asgard, now," he said bravely. "I'm happy there."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry I yelled at you before… I don't hate you!" she quickly added. "I was just upset that day. And I lashed out on you."

"It's okay, Nat, really-"

"Natalia!"

The princess quickly whipped her head around at the sound of Loki's voice. She thought she was going crazy, but there he was, staggering towards them with a forced smile across his lips. "Loki?" As he drew closer, she noticed the bags under his eyes and the sweat across his brow. "Are you alright?" she worriedly asked.

Loki paused to catch his breath and attempted to straighten himself up. "Just fine," he grinned. "I've had my day's worth of exercise trying to find you two." All a lie-but was this the first and last time he would lie to his bride? The transportation spell had left Loki feeling physically drained, but it worked. He successfully managed to transport himself. Loki felt very pleased of this accomplishment.

"You look as though you haven't slept," Natalia noted.

"Last night's festivities made it hard for me to sleep." Lie number two. Loki stopped himself from worrying about lying-this was for Natalia's well-being. He couldn't have her worrying about him.

She reached up to cup his cheek. "You'll need to tell Stark 'no' next time," she smirked. "My husband clearly needs his rest."

Clint shot Loki a cold glare. "How did you find us?" he questioned. Clint hadn't told anyone on where he was planning on going-how could Loki conveniently know?

"Word spreads quickly throughout town when royalty is involved," Loki cockily grinned. "Come, Natalia, we best head back before we speak to the townspeople."

Natalia nodded and turned to Clint. "Guide us back, Clinton."

* * *

Loki and Natalia both stood in the town square, accompanied by a group of guards as they waved hello and announced their marriage to the city of York. Natalia did most of the talking, explaining how she and Loki planned to work on establishing witch hunters throughout the city in an effort to better the people's protection, as well as provide money to families in need. She chose to speak since Loki looked ready to pass out. Behind his smile, she could see how drained he looked just by staring into his eyes. Maybe it was a sleepless night like he had said, or maybe it was stress? Regardless of the cause, she worried for his health and was grateful when they finally entered the carriage to take them back to Lord Stark's.

"You did beautifully, my darling," Loki began once they were free of the public eye. "They've already warmed up to you-I can tell."

"And _I _can tell that you need rest."

"That will have to wait until after dinner," he chuckled.

"No." Natalia moved to sit on the bench beside him and force him to rest her head on his lap. "You can get a quick nap in until then." She ran her fingers through his silky hair and Loki hummed in approval.

"You are far too good for me," he said as he rested his eyes. "My Natalia."

A smile formed across her lips. "We can't have the prince fainting in public. People will worry for your health."

"Knowing that you worry for me is enough. I'm happy to have such a loving wife."

She pressed a finger to his lips. "Rest."

He tiredly chuckled and took pleasure in her soft fingers brushing against his jaw. Despite the carriage's rocking, Loki easily drifted off, only to awaken to Natalia poking his cheek.

"We've stopped," she murmured, scooting away from Loki and letting his head rest on the bench. "Be sure to go to bed right after dinner."

"Now you sound like my Mother," Loki laughed as he sat himself upright.

* * *

"You're sure you can't stay another night?" Tony asked the following morning. He and Pepper wanted to personally see the prince and princess off.

"Another time," Loki promised. He had slept soundly through the night and felt much more lively. "But we have other places we must venture to."

"Thank you for accompanying us," Natalia added. "We hope to see you at our wedding."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Tony winked.

Natalia softly laughed and waved goodbye before hopping into the carriage with Loki. "You're more of yourself again," she noticed. "I approve."

"Sleep does wonders for a man," Loki chuckled.

"Try not to wear yourself out again," Natalia warned him. "I'd hate to have my husband drained on our wedding day," she smirked.

Loki's grin widened. "I am afraid I will be far too excited to sleep on the eve of our wedding."

"You're a child," Natalia playfully remarked, rolling her eyes.

* * *

The following five days of travel was spent visiting three different towns and meeting the native folk. During the nights, Loki would practice spells, working to better his magical abilities. On the night before leaving for Asgard, Loki decided to pay Natalia a visit in her bedroom. It was well into the early hours of the morning and she was fast asleep. Loki watched her sleeping form, admiring how peaceful she looked. When his eyelids grew heavy, he quickly and quietly vanished to his own room.

"What the hell?!" a voice exclaimed in the darkened bedroom.

Loki felt every muscle in his body stiffen. "Clinton?!" For once, he had been taken by surprise.

"What the hell was that?!" Clint demanded. "You just popped out of nowhere!"

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Loki decided to play dumb and see how things would play out.

"I know what I saw!" the archer yelled.

"Sleep must be playing tricks on you." The prince steadied his tone and began to chuckle. "You should return to sleep. Preferably in your own room…" He narrowed his eyes.

"I heard a noise coming from in here. Actually, I've been hearing things coming from every room you've stayed in, my _Lord_," he icily bit.

"It would be best for you to mind your own business, Clinton…"

"So you _are _up to something?" He casually approached Loki to better look him in the eyes. "It may be dark, but I swear I just saw you appear from out of nowhere! If this is magic, you better explain how the hell you're-!"

Loki seized the man by the neck, desperate for him to shut his mouth. He knew he needed to act quickly before Clint ratted him out… Not that anyone would believe him-they would assume he had gone mad. But if Clint was believed to have gone mad, then Natalia would be upset, and Loki couldn't have that. He would allow for the archer to live. For now, at least. "Look at me, Clinton," he growled.

"Natalia needs to know!" he seethed. "She'll believe me! Believe me, she-"

"Shut up!" Loki's threatening shout reverberated off the walls. Without thinking, Loki pressed his hand over Clint's face. A chant passed from his lips as a green glow emanated from his palm. He threw Clint's body to the ground with a thud. The archer's body was still as Loki hovered over his unconscious form. "Sweet dreams, Barton," he whispered before he transported Clint's body back to his own room.

* * *

The next morning, Ivan came knocking at Clint's door to awaken him. "Clinton!" he called out. "We leave for home in an hour."

Clint sat up in bed, groaning as he scratched the back of his head. He couldn't sleep last night. Nightmares about Loki going mad made it hard for him to sleep. Yet somehow, the nightmares felt real. He felt a lump on the back of his skull and wondered if by some unlikely chance that it was all real… Even if it was, Clint knew he would need proof before he could accuse Asgard's future king of witchcraft. Until he could gather evidence, he needed to get himself ready for the journey home.

* * *

"You look even worse than after Stark's party," Natalia said as Loki took her hand and helped her into the carriage. His usually warm hand felt cold and she couldn't help but worry. "Loki…" she breathed.

Between the transportation and mind-erase spells, Loki could hardly keep his eyes open. He desperately needed rest and he knew just how to relax. Natalia took her seat and Loki sat beside her. "Do you mind?" he softly asked, briefly glancing down at her lap.

"Please," Natalia smiled. "Get your rest before we return home." He laid his head against her lap and she began stroking his hair. "I never would have guessed that Prince Loki's life could be so stressful," she laughed.

Loki smiled to himself as he drifted off into a much-needed sleep. If only she knew…


	15. Chapter 15

_"__There are _liars _in the house of Odin," a voice whispered to Loki. "Liars and traitors."_

_Loki could recognise the voice as that of the Will-o-the-Wisp. He hadn't heard that voice in a long while and wondered why it would haunt him now. 'Liars and traitors' it said. Was his kingdom in danger?_

_ "__Kill him, Loki."_

_Kill. Kill who? He had a vague idea of who he would _gladly _kill, but was it really necessary? _

_ "__Hold on to what you hold most dear."_

Natalia. _She was the one he loved the most. But hold on to her? Was something to happen involving a certain archer? Something dangerous?_

_ "__Kill him now."_

_Kill Clint Barton… The sound of Natalia's muffled screaming echoed in the distance. _Natalia!

_ "__Loki!" she cried out. _

The prince's eyes flew open and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. The sight of Natalia fast asleep with her cheek pressed against the carriage wall assured him that she was perfectly fine. It had all been a nightmare, yet it felt like something more… Loki kept his head on Natalia's lap and watched her as he attempted to solve the riddle in his nightmare. He knew exactly who the traitor was. Clint Barton. Was he going to rat out his powers? What if his mind erase spell failed and Clint remembered seeing him appear out of nowhere. If Loki was exposed of witchcraft, then he would be put to death. And Natalia would be heartbroken. He recalled her screams and tightly shut his eyes. Was he the liar in the house of Odin? Loki took another deep breath. Before he did anything rash, he needed to be sure that Clint remembered nothing. He decided that once they arrived home, Clint Barton will be put under close watch…

* * *

The Prince and Princess' return home after a long week called for a feast thrown by the King and Queen. As tired as Loki was, he enjoyed a hearty dinner with his family before heading straight to his chambers. He waited there in his candle-lit room for what felt like hours. When the time felt right, Loki took a walk to Clint's makeshift room and knocked on the door.

"Milord?" Clint asked, staring at the prince with a confused and wary look.

"Clinton," he smiled. "May I enter?" In one hand, Loki was holding a tray with a kettle and two mugs.

Clint stepped aside to allow Loki inside. "What's this about?"

"I'd like a word, Clinton." He set the tray down on the wooden dresser and proceeded to pour hot tea into the mugs.

Clint didn't like where this was going. Last time Loki brought him an offering, hell broke loose. He was presented with a mug, but he shook his head. "No thanks."

Loki took a long sip from his drink, then offered it to Clint. "Would you feel safer with this?" he chuckled. "No poison in there, if that's what worries you…"

The archer smirked and accepted the mug. "I take it Lady Natalia told you of my suspicions."

"Yes," the prince nodded. "She told me. How silly of you to think such a thing!"

"Is it silly?" he wondered, watching Loki calmly sip his tea.

"I find it amusing," Loki mused. "Asgard's future King, a witch."

"Did you come here just to talk about this?" Clint wondered. "It's getting late…"

Not once did Clint mention the previous night. All seemed to be going well so far. "Forgive me for intruding on your personal life, Clinton, but I believe this will be good news for you." Loki walked over to the trunk at the foot of Clint's bed and sat down on it. "The home you were showing Natalia…That was where you once lived, correct?"

Clint shrugged. "Same location, different house. Why do you know that?"

"Sentiment," he answered. "Why else would you bring Natalia there?"

"What, are you gonna scold me for taking the Princess for a walk?" he asked, tightening his grip around the warm mug.

"No," Loki answered. "From what I noticed, no one is currently living there. I'd like to purchase it in your name."

"To get me away from Lady Natalia?" Clint asked. "Sorry, my Lord, but she made a promise that I serve her. And I don't intend on breaking a promise with the Queen."

"I respect that," Loki nodded. "Just know that my offer to buy you the home still stands, even if it's decades from now."

"Thank you?" Was this really all Loki came to talk about? He curiously watched him, wondering if there was a catch.

"I will leave you to your slumber." Loki rose from his perch and set his mug atop the tray. "Would you like me to take yours?" he offered.

Clint shook his head. "Leave everything here, my Lord. I'll have them sent to the kitchen."

"Thank you, Clinton," Loki smiled warmly. He left the room and walked the halls until he reached his own chambers. The archer seemed clueless enough, but it was only a matter of time until Clint would grow suspicious again. Loki was prepared, though. So long as he had his spells, all would work out in his favour.

* * *

The next morning, Loki decided to visit Sleipnir. He first stopped to grab an apple and on his way to the stables, he saw Clint and his hunter friends working to rebuild his hut. All the hard work wouldn't be necessary if Clint had just accepted Loki's offer of a new home. "Sleipnir!" Loki called out as he passed through the gate. "Daddy's home!" Something was different today. Usually, Sleipnir awaited his master's return, but today, he chose to stay in the shadows of his pen with his ears pinned back. "Sleipnir?" Loki softly asked. "What is it?" He reached out to touch the animal, but he strayed from his owner's touch. "Are you ill? Was it because you missed me?" He opened the wooden gate and Sleipnir lowered his head and stamped his hoof into the ground. Loki clenched his jaw and quickly stepped out of his horse's pen. An angry horse wasn't something he wanted to mess with. "What happened to you, boy?" he gently asked. "I missed you very much, you know…" Sleipnir showed Loki the whites of his eyes, angering his master even more. "Damned animal!" Loki hissed, throwing the apple into the hay.

"Loki?" Natalia stood frozen in place, wary of what she had just seen. "What happened?"

The prince immediately regretted his actions. He didn't want Natalia to see him angry. "It seems that Sleipnir isn't himself," he muttered.

"That's no reason to throw things at him!" She approached the gate, but Loki grabbed her arm.

"His stance is that of anger, Natalia," he warned her. "It is best to stay away…" He gently pulled her arm. "Why did you come find me?"

"Your Mother wanted a word with you in private," she began. "I may have mentioned your sleepless nights," she quietly added. "But I only did that because I don't want you falling ill." Natalia knew Loki would be angry. He had every right to be…

"Alright," he softly replied. "I'll find her."

Natalia gently squeezed his cold hand. "Meet me under the apple tree when you finish," she smiled. "We can have lunch there."

Loki finally smiled for her, feeling his tension slowly leave. "I would like that very much."

Natalia watched him walk away before approaching Sleipnir's enclosure. "Are you sick?" she sweetly asked.

The horse slowly approached Natalia and allowed for her to stroke his snout.

"That's a good Sleipnir," she whispered. Natalia heard that animals had strong instincts. She wondered if Sleipnir could sense Loki's distress. "I'm worried about Loki," she admitted to the steed as if he could understand. "I think he's under a lot of stress. The wedding, travelling, paperwork… Be good to him, alright?" she smiled.

* * *

Three days passed and King Odin summoned both of his sons, Natalia, his witch hunters, and Ivan into the throne room for an urgent meeting. "There has been an attack on the city of York," he stated in a grave tone. "Six witches. Only one was killed."

Natalia gasped and Loki grabbed her hand for support. "We were just there…" she breathed.

"You don't suppose this was intentional, do you, Father?" Thor asked.

Loki scowled at the assumption. This was only going to further upset his bride.

Odin's eye rested upon Natalia. "That is always a possibility… Because of that, I want guards surrounding the gates. There are five witches afoot and we must be prepared."

Natalia recalled all of the people she and Loki had seen within the peaceful city. They did nothing wrong, "And what about York?" she asked the King. "I told the people that Loki and I would work to help protect them. My King, you should consider sending help to their city. Food, money, hunters-anything to help them!"

Odin smiled at his daughter-in-law. "Your kind offer will not be declined, my dear," he promised. "However Lord Stark wrote that he is already working to resolve the matters. But I will send a carriage to York with some gifts in your name."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Natalia curtsied, grateful for his understanding.

"Your heart is in the right place," Frigga beamed.

"There's a Blood Moon drawing near," Clint chimed in. "Protection throughout the castle, as well as the town, is crucial."

Loki turned towards Clint. "Then we are grateful to have someone with your strength and expertise on our side. Clinton should be our primary guard," he told the King. "He can stay positioned at the forest's entrance where he has a clear sight of who enters the town." Loki now had the perfect excuse for keeping Clint at bay from his fiancé. "Thor can guard our home. Isn't that right, Brother?" he grinned, pleased with his decision.

"I will gladly defend our home, Father," Thor announced to the King.

"We best prepare now-we never know when danger could draw near," Odin warned the group. "You are dismissed."

Natalia tightly held Loki's hand as they exited the throne room. "What happens when they come?" she worriedly asked.

"Now don't talk like that." Loki pulled her behind a column and kissed her cheek. "You shouldn't fret about things like that."

"I shouldn't, but I _have _to!" she snapped. "That could have been us under attack in York! Or worse-what if they came _because _of us? Because of me?!" Tears formed in her eyes and she became more flustered. Her bad luck was creeping back into her life. She knew her life had been going too well, and this was the reason why.

"Oh, Natalia." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "Darling, all will be well-I swear it!"

"You always say that," she sniffed, nuzzling against his chest.

Loki stroked her hair in a soothing manner. "We will be prepared. Try not to worry, my love."

Natalia inhaled his calming scent. She knew she needed to calm down, but it was hard for her to not worry. "I'll try my best," she promised. "Thank you, Loki."

"Get some rest, Natalia," he told her. "Sweet dreams," he added before kissing her forehead. They went their separate ways and Loki proceeded to lock himself in his bedroom. In order to ensure Natalia's safety, he needed to take matters into his own hands. The risk was great, but for her, Loki would do anything. He closed his eyes in deep concentration. One second, he was in the safety of his room, and the next, Loki found himself in the dark forest outside of the palace. Transportation was the easiest way for him to sneak out. Loki took advantage of the darkness to place protective seals on several scattered trees. Despite being slips of parchment with ink, Loki had placed a charm on each one to ensure the castle's safety. Not all magic was for evil-it solely depended on the user. Before he returned to his bedroom, Loki stole a golden opportunity to abuse his powers of good. He stood before the stone blocks that served as walls to Clint's in-progress home. A blast of green light from Loki's palm blasted a three-foot high stack to smithereens, making the prince cruelly chuckle. If Clint was going to be on guard duty outside of the palace, then he had no need for a home. Clinton's priorities were about protecting the people, not working on rebuilding his miserable little home. After stirring up some mischief, Loki transported himself into his bed where he let his need for sleep take its toll.

* * *

Days began to pass and the land of Asgard was prepared for whatever may come. Clint spent his days at an inn, keeping him far from the King's palace. This pleased Loki, but Natalia worried for her friend's safety. Regardless of the possibility of an attack, everyone went about their daily routines. Natalia would spend her mornings with Frigga preparing for the slowly upcoming wedding, while Loki had work of his own to do. King Odin had sent a gift package to York and after two days, Lord and Lady Stark answered back with a thank you letter especially for Natalia.

"Exactly one month away from your wedding," Frigga happily mused as the seamstresses were busy pinning pieces of powder blue satin to Natalia's body.

"I only hope the day comes faster," Natalia replied with a wide smile. She did her best to remain as still as possible so no needles would prick her.

"Give it time, dear," Frigga assured her. "We still need to have your gown finished."

Natalia stared at her reflection and imagined herself as a lovely bride, waiting for her prince to meet her at the altar. "Do you think my Lord is all ready?" she wondered. Natalia hardly saw him over the past week and when she did, he always seemed worn out.

"I warn my boy not to overdo it, but he has always been a stubborn one," Frigga smiled. "I believe he thinks that working harder could allow for an earlier wedding," she laughed. "He's grown desperate to have you as his wife, Natalia."

Natalia lowered her head to try hiding her flushed face. "I'm not going anywhere-tell him I said that." Her dress fitting came to an end and Natalia decided to spend the rest of her afternoon in the library. After settling down before the fireplace with a book, she suddenly got the feeling that she wasn't alone.

"I am glad to see you at peace, my darling." Loki coolly sauntered over to the bench and took a seat beside her.

She set aside her book and wrapped her arms around Loki's neck. "I wasn't expecting to see you around," she grinned. "How have you been, my Lord?" she teasingly asked.

"Missing you dearly." His long fingers wound themselves through her long curls.

"Your Mother and I were talking about you today," she murmured, growing serious. "Loki, you know that I'm not going anywhere, right?" she asked, gazing into his emerald eyes.

"I know," he nodded.

"Then why does it seem like you're trying to overwork yourself?"

"Is that what it looks like?" he innocently wondered. "Forgive me, but I'm only working to make sure the lands are all safe. Along with adding my signature to our wedding invitations," he smirked. "One month. Merely four weeks until you become Princess Natalia Odinson." His eyes lit up with joy.

"Don't forget to write that poem you promised me," she teased. Natalia was glad that Loki was in good spirits again.

"Oh, but I've already finished it," he chuckled. "And it is kept in a secure location where no devious bride-to-be will find it," he winked.

"Is that a challenge?" she asked, raising a brow.

Loki gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Try, but you will never find it," he taunted. "Be a good princess and wait for me to read it to you on our wedding night."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She pressed her soft lips against Loki's cheek. If he would only let his guard down, she would gladly relieve him of any stress he felt. Natalia hadn't given herself any self-gratification in a while, but the need was now slowly building. "Loki?" she whispered into his ear.

"Hmm?" he absently hummed. The prince's gaze was focused on the reddish clouds outside the library window. Tonight was the night and Loki was prepared to set his latest plan into action.

Natalia's hand traced against his leather tunic, feelings the contours of his muscles beneath the heavy fabric. She caught herself staring at his pants and quickly forced her gaze to meet his face. "Loki?" She thought that he would be watching her, but he looked to be daydreaming. "Loki!" She grabbed his face between her hands and forced him to look at her. "If you're tired, you should rest."

Loki's attention returned to his fiancé in time to let her words sink in. "Bed. Yes," he mumbled. "Tell Mother and Father I won't be dining with them tonight. I do not wish to be disturbed." He rose from his seat and felt Natalia's lingering gaze as he left the room.

* * *

Night fell and the blood red sky made it difficult for Natalia to sleep. She buried herself under her blanket in an attempt to hide from the red-washed walls of her bedroom. All she wanted was for someone to hold her and tell her that everything would be alright. She needed Loki. Without his peaceful reassurances, her mind wandered down dark corners. She knew Loki would probably be asleep, but she needed to try. The princess left her bedroom and quietly crept down the hall to Loki's room. Her first knock was soft, but after no reply, she knocked harder. "Loki?" she whispered. Still no answer. He was probably fast asleep by now. Defeated, Natalia returned to her own room.

* * *

The Prince's movements were so quiet and careful that not even the dry leaves crunched beneath his feet. Loki's footsteps were like those of a nimble cat. Through a clearing in the bush, he spotted his prey. '_Kill him_,' the Wisp told him. Loki felt his anger surging as the Wisp's voice grew louder. '_Kill him!_' _Remember who it is you are doing this for,_ Loki reminded himself. "Natalia," he breathed. He shut his eyes and with a flick of his wrist, he sent a whirlwind of leaves in the archer's direction. The foliage burst into flames as it sped towards Clint's post at an unbelievable speed.

Clint whirled around just in time to see the ball of flame drawing near. For a split second, he swore he saw a pair of bright red eyes leering in the forest.


	16. Chapter 16

"Natalia…" Sif didn't even bother to question why the Princess was awake so early. She wanted to deliver her news quickly. "There's something you need to know…"

Natalia whipped her head around. The gloomy tone her handmaiden chose to use told her that something happened. Something bad. "Was it Clint?" she whispered.

"Just a burn," she began, walking towards the bed. "He's fine, but his arm suffered a deep burn."

"From a witch." Natalia could already assume this much.

Sif nodded her head. She was glad that Natalia was taking this easier than anticipated. Sif had worried that word of a witch would've set her off. "I've been told that Doctor Banner looked over him-he's lucky to be alive."

"I'd like to see him," she said weakly. "I need to know for sure."

"No." The handmaiden shook her head and grabbed Natalia's hand. "Not after an attack so close. You stay inside."

"Who saved him? How did he make it out alive?" Natalia wondered.

"Fandral was close by when he heard him scream." Sif wasn't going to hold back on the truth. Natalia had every right to know the whole story. "I overheard from Thor that his arm had caught fire…it spread onto his clothes, but Clint dropped and rolled over," she continued. "His arm suffered most of the burn and Fandral helped put out what remained of the flames… As for how it happened, I have no clue yet," she sighed.

Natalia lowered her head and took several deep breaths. She kept reminding herself that Clint was fine-that was all that mattered.

"Did you not sleep?" Sif gently asked.

Natalia shook her head. "I never can on a Blood Moon. And look what happened last night…"

"The stress really isn't good for you," Sif warned her.

"I'm not _stressed_," Natalia growled.

She took the redhead's hand and led her towards her vanity. "Yes you are. Between moving to a new home, these witches, not to mention your recent travelling…"

"I've had a lot of fun travelling," Natalia interrupted.

"My Lady," Sif sighed. "I've been serving you for over a month and you haven't bled."

Natalia's face reddened at the mentioning of it. "We're both women," Sif reminded her, rolling her eyes. "All I'm suggesting to you is that you try to relax a little. Your body needs to be ready to make your Prince a child," she teased.

Natalia didn't bother to make a comment. She sat completely still as Sif brushed through her hair. All she could think about was her last period she had just before leaving for Asgard. But she hadn't bled at all since then. And she and Clint had committed a sin. A sin that could lead to something that could have Natalia hanged. The princess suddenly felt sick as she realized that she could very well be carrying another man's child.

* * *

Loki stood before the library window, eying the stable boy as he brought Sleipnir some fresh hay. The horse seemed to be back to his normal, happy self. Loki decided that he would pay his four-legged friend a visit once the stable boy was gone. The prince hadn't slept all night. He found himself replaying his attack on Clint Barton over and over. Loki fully intended on killing the archer and he was fully prepared to take the secret of Clint's murder to his grave. His plan, however, failed. Loki allowed himself an early breakfast and that was when Thor found him and told him that Clint suffered a mere burn at the hands of a witch. Someone above clearly favoured the young archer's health and wanted him to live. As future King, Loki wouldn't stand for that. Right when he was about to deliver the fatal blow, the voices were screaming to have Clint dead, and they didn't stop until after the deed was done. Loki could faintly see a reflection in the window that he couldn't recognise as his own. The man staring back at him looked older and angrier. Loki assumed it was an effect of his powers draining his body. Nothing a good night's sleep couldn't fix. The stable boy left and Loki chose to be lazy and rely on his perfected teleportation ability to take him to his horse.

Sleipnir's ears perked up upon seeing his newest visitor. He stepped back into his stall, lowering his head as he did so.

"Come now, Sleipnir-I saw you playing nicely with the servant," Loki stated. He summoned an apple into his hand and offered it to the midnight-black horse. "What have I done to offend you?"

Sleipnir backed up against the wall, cautiously eying Loki.

"You're being ridiculous!" Loki unlatched the pen and allowed himself inside. "Don't be stubborn-know who your master is!" the prince growled.

The horse didn't take too kindly to having Loki enter his home. He stood up on his powerful back legs and Loki stepped back.

"Sleipnir?" he breathed. He saw the steed's front legs begin to fall forward and he knew that there was no backing away from the stallion's attack. Loki threw his arms out in front of him and the apple turned into a dagger that buried itself into the horse's neck.

A sharp groan escaped Sleipnir's throat that made Loki shudder.

Loki's mind hadn't even had a chance to register what had happened until the deed was done. "Dear Lord," he breathed, releasing his hold on the dagger's golden handle. His trembling body fell backwards as he watched blood trickle down his beloved pet's throat. What had he done? He never meant to harm the animal… Something just happened-an accident… "Oh, Sleipnir," he choked out. The horse stumbled into a pile of hay, painting it red with blood. Loki carefully approached him and pulled the dagger away, evoking a pained sound from the wounded animal. The sharp blade had been halfway lodged into the stallion's throat and judging from Sleipnir's labored breaths, there wasn't much that could be done. There was only one option Loki could think of. His Father had taught he and Thor a painful lesson when they went hunting as children. Whenever an animal seemed unable to carry on… "Put it out of its misery," Loki murmured. His shaking hand raised the blood-soaked weapon above his head. "I'm so sorry," he breathed, staring into Sleipnir's eyes. His pet looked back, taking in a final sight of his former master. Refusing to break eye contact, Loki delivered the final blow. Sticky drops of crimson sprayed his face and he drove the knife in deeper, deeper… He closed his eyes and imagined not his beloved horse, but the body of Clint Barton. Rage seized him and he proceeded to brutally stab the animal's strong neck over and over, until all was silent except for the sounds of Loki's ragged breaths. He opened his eyes, his insides raw, as he gazed upon his crime. Innocent blood stained his clothes. There was no turning back now. Loki got up and slowly backed away from Sleipnir's pen. With a flick of his hand, his body and clothes were free of blood, but the irony scent still lingered in his nostrils. Loki tossed the weapon into a stack of hay and made it erupt into a ball of flame. This wasn't the crime of Loki Odinson. This was the crime of a witch. The prince quickly vanished from the scene just as the other horses began to pick up on the nearby fire.

Heimdall was first to notice the thick clouds of smoke. He dashed towards the stables and found that Thor and Sif had guided three of the family's three horses to safety. "Was this a witch's doing?" Heimdall urgently asked.

"Aye," Thor answered. "Help us fetch some water, Heimdall!" the blond ordered. As the guard and Sif ran off, Thor glanced back at the stables, cringing at the burning stables. He desperately wished he could have saved his Brother's horse, but Sleipnir's pen was at the heart of the inferno.

* * *

Loki ran straight for the dining room and found Natalia and his Mother sitting down for breakfast.

Frigga glanced up when she heard the noisy footsteps and was shocked to see that it was Loki. He was out of breath and beads of sweat had formed across his forehead. "Darling? What is the matter?" she asked.

"I…" Loki saw the look of horror in Natalia's eyes. He didn't mean to alarm her, but he didn't know where to turn. "The library," he gasped. "I saw smoke from the stables. S-Sleipnir…"

_'__You killed him!'_ a voice hissed.

_'__Murderer!'_

"N-No!" Loki cried.

"Loki?!" Natalia cried out.

"Fire," he choked out.

_'__A fire you started!'_

Loki grabbed fistfuls of his ebony hair and hunched forward.

"Darling?!" Frigga rushed to his side, followed by Natalia.

_'__How did the fire start?'_

A choked sob escaped Loki's throat.

_'__Don't lie!'_

"I…" Loki found himself staring at multiple blurred images of his mother and fiancé. Their mouths were open, but he couldn't hear the words. The taunts of the wisps were the only voices he could understand.

_'__Liar!'_

_ '__A liar in the house of Odin!'_

"N…No…" The prince's world began to spin around him before everything went black.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the King gathered his guards along with his wife and Natalia for a meeting to discuss the unexpected fire. Loki wasn't present since he was still unconscious from what Doctor Banner declared a high fever.

"The fire has been extinguished, my Lord," Heimdall assured his King.

"No one was harmed," Odin stated. "For that, we need to be thankful."

"Father," Thor interrupted. "I'm afraid Loki's horse didn't make it."

Natalia's eyes grew wide with shock.

"Oh, dear…" Frigga murmured. She knew that this news would break her son's heart.

"This was a witch's doing, we're sure," Thor continued. "But I think that Loki and Lady Natalia are being targets. This can't be a coincidence. First York, now this… They're in danger, Father."

Natalia felt sick upon hearing those words. She had plenty of things to worry about, and now being a target was one of them. In the corner of her eye, she noticed Sif eying her carefully.

"The Prince and Princess need protection at all times, then," Clint chimed in. "Allow me to be of service to either one, my Lord."

Clinton was the last person Natalia wanted to guard her. Especially if his child was really growing within her. She couldn't bear to face him. He was sure to realize that something was bothering her and Natalia couldn't bear to have him discover the truth.

"I entrust you with my son's protection," Odin told Clint. "And Thor, I trust you to protect Lady Natalia."

"Aye," Thor nodded.

Natalia breathed a sigh of relief. The meeting was soon dismissed and Sif approached her before she could wander off.

"I heard the Prince fainted?" she whispered.

Natalia nodded. She felt ready to do the same. "A fever. That's what Doctor Banner said. I figured as much. He hasn't been sleeping…"

"You best stay in good health, too. You'll worry yourself sick."

"I need to check on Loki," she said quickly. "Excuse me." She brushed past Sif and made her way up to her prince's bedroom. Without bothering to knock, she quietly opened the door to steal a quick peek inside the room.

"Is that you, Natalia?" Loki softly asked.

So he was awake… She took a deep breath and allowed herself into the room.

"I'm terribly sorry for frightening you," Loki whispered. He pat the edge of his bed, desperate for her to accompany him. "The Doctor says I've fallen ill, but I feel perfectly fine. Just tired."

"Loki…" Natalia knew that he deserved to know about Sleipnir. "There was a fire-you mentioned it before you fainted…"

Loki turned his head away in shame. All he could think about was Sleipnir. And all that blood… "Yes. I saw the fire. Sleipnir is dead," Loki grimly added.

"Loki… Don't talk like that," Natalia warned him. She sat on the edge of the bed and reached for his hand.

Was she trying to lie to him? He of all people knew the truth of his pet's demise. "I saw smoke in his pen. He's dead," Loki repeated. "Unless you mean to tell me that by some miracle he survived." _Oh, if only_, Loki thought. His madness brought about the death of his oldest friend. This was all Loki's fault.

"I'm sorry." Natalia got onto her knees and wrapped her arms around Loki's neck. "Loki, I'm so sorry this happened-you don't deserve this," she whispered as she stroked his hair. "You're a good person…"

_Good._ Loki wanted to snort at her assumption. Would a good person brutally murder an innocent animal? A loyal friend, a beloved companion… He closed his eyes and all he could see was the pain in Sleipnir's eyes before the final blow was delivered. And the blood. So much blood… His arms wrapped around Natalia and he buried his face in her chest. Regret kicked in and Loki found himself crying like a small child. Sleipnir's death wasn't his only concern. What would happen if he lost control again? Next time, it could very well be Natalia's blood on his hands…


	17. Chapter 17

The young prince remained locked away in the confines of his room for a whole day. No one bothered him-they all assumed he was still in mourning. After three days, Natalia began to worry. She had passed by his bedroom door early in the morning and noticed that the tray containing his dinner had been left untouched. "Loki?" she softly asked. He never answered her, so she jiggled the brass door handle.

"Natalia!" his voice snapped. That was enough to startle her and send her running off. Loki didn't mean for his temper to flare, but he wished to be alone. He assumed Natalia confided in his Mother because later in the morning, Frigga allowed herself into his room and forced him to eat. She didn't stop there. Loki was forced to stay out of his bedroom and spend the day with his Father. Odin tried his best to be cheerful and even ordered extra of Loki's favourite custard for the wedding reception. Loki put up a façade in order to please his parents for the next few days. Despite the distractions of finalizing his wedding plans, he still found himself thinking about the murder he committed.

_"__Loki?" _

_Her voice called out to him and instead of pushing her away, he decided to allow her in. "Yes, Natalia?" he answered. She opened the door and Loki watched as she made her way towards the bed._

_"__I've missed you," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his middle. "What happened to you?"_

_The prince let his fingers mingle in her curls. "Never mind that, my darling. I wish to move on, is all." She kept quiet as he whispered words of love to her. For a moment, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. "Natalia?"Her body suddenly felt extra heavy against his chest. "Natalia?" He grabbed her chin and gently lifted her head so their eyes could meet. His face contorted with sheer terror when he saw his fiance's glassy eyes boring into his as she reached for a dagger that was lodged in her throat._

_"__Why?" she croaked. Blood poured from her wound, covering both she and Loki with the sticky wetness. "Why did you do this to me?"_

Loki awoke with a start, screaming and gasping for air. The smell of blood was suffocating him. He felt his damp shirt clinging to his chest and his heart nearly stopped. It wasn't until he felt beads of perspiration roll down the sides of his face that he realized it was sweat. He quickly removed his shirt and tossed it aside. Loki exhaled deeply, thanking God that it was all a nightmare. Never in all his years had he had such a horrifying nightmare. There was no chance he could ever fall asleep after _that. _Loki felt an urge to make sure that Natalia was alive and well. Until the itch was scratched, he wouldn't be able to rest. He took a deep breath and felt his heart slow as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he was in Natalia's room, standing over her while she slept. He envied how peaceful she looked. If only he could find comfort as she did. She unexpectedly stirred in her sleep, burying herself beneath her blanket. Loki softly smiled and reached down to stroke her silky curls. He felt her body stiffen, and the next thing he knew, she had seized hold of his wrist, glaring at him with a need to kill.

"Loki!" she gasped. Natalia felt the fear leave her as anger took over. "What the hell are you doing? I thought you were a witch!" she hissed.

"Forgive me!" he said quickly. "I... couldn't sleep." He felt her tight grasp loosen its hold.

"You still have no right to come in here," she quietly warned him.

"I'm sorry." He sat down on the bed, feeling grateful that she was there with him. "If it makes any difference, know that I will never again disrupt your slumber," he added with a hopeful grin.

"Good," she smirked. "I'm glad you've learned a valuable lesson." The princess couldn't help but take a moment to admire his lean, muscular frame. His milky white skin had a lovely glow to it as the moonlight poured in through the window.

The corners of Loki's lips fell as feelings of dread resurfaced. "Natalia, I can't sleep," he admitted. "Please don't make me leave." His pleading eyes gazed into hers. "I can't, I-" He wasn't about to tell her about his nightmare-that would only frighten her.

"It's alright." Natalia peeled her blanket away to invite her prince closer.

"This isn't right," he whispered as he accompanied her beneath the sheet.

"You need your rest, my Prince. If this will help…" Natalia felt the warmth of his body so close to hers and a wild idea came to mind. She desperately needed him in order to hide her growing secret. As much as Natalia hated to think about it, she was certain that she was pregnant with Clint's baby. She needed to act quickly in order to play it off as Loki's. The faster the better. "Loki…" She forced herself onto his lap, the corner of her lip upturned in a playful smirk. "Let me help you relax."

"No!" Loki shook his head, fearful of where she was taking things. "Natalia, we can't!"

"Do you not love me?" she asked, jutting her lower lip out.

Loki turned his head, trying to not be affected by her womanly charms. "You know I love you very much. Which is why I suggest we wait another three weeks."

Natalia rubbed her hips against his and let out a soft moan. "What difference will it make? I'll still love you then." She pressed her lips against his jaw as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Natalia," he gasped. "No."

She silenced him with a kiss on the mouth. He was talking far too much for her liking. "My King," she breathed in between fervent kisses.

Loki responded by forcing his tongue past her teeth, letting her hot breaths mix with his.

She moaned, franticly rubbing against his hips as the burning need between her legs became unbearable. The prince grabbed her hips and forced Natalia onto her back. She cried out as a pleasant shock of surprise jolted through her.

He hungrily kissed her, letting his hand squeeze her breast. If not for his mouth against hers, he was sure she would have screamed.

"Oh, God!" she groaned. Natalia locked her ankles around his narrow hips and swore she could feel his hard length pressing against his trousers.

"You're making this difficult," he warned her, letting a hand trail up her nightgown.

Natalia let her body relax against the mattress, allowing for Loki's cool fingers to better reach her core. He was dangerously close and a part of her was afraid that Loki would let fear hold him back. She grabbed his wrist and guided his hand towards the apex of her thighs. "God!" she moaned.

Loki's fingertips traced against her slick folds, evoking another delicious moan from Natalia. His body was aching for her. There was no denying relief to his throbbing cock any longer. "Oh, Natalia," he groaned, rubbing her core and letting her sticky fluids coat his fingertips.

_"__Loki!"_

"Shit!" Loki hissed. The prince was taken by surprise and thought that the voice belonged to someone in the room. He whipped his head around to face the doorway and found a Wisp awaiting him.

"Loki?" Natalia breathed. Why, of all times, did he need to stop?

_"__Look at what you've done, Loki!" _the voice said.

"What?" he muttered under his breath. Loki followed the ball of blue light towards the window. He looked out towards the forest where he saw a pair of red eyes illuminating the darkness. "I need to go," Loki said quickly.

"Loki!" she whined. "What's gotten into you?!" she left the bed to stand at his side. Natalia could recognise the look of fear in his eyes and she turned her head to see what had him so distracted. A set of crimson orbs glared in Natalia's direction and she shoved past Loki as she broke out into a sprint.

"Natalia!" Loki charged after her, grabbing her by the arm to stop her.

"Let me go!" she demanded. "The King needs to know!" she shouted. "Thor!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping that her guard would hear her. Even Sif would have sufficed-anyone who could take care of a witch.

Loki panicked, fully aware that he was in an awkward position. Without thinking, he vanished from the warmth of Natalia's room and into the cold, dark forest. If the Wisp informed him of the witch, then this must have involved him in some way.

"My Lady?" Thor came bursting through the door, fast as lightning.

"There's a witch!" Natalia shouted. "In the forest." She pointed out of the window to show Thor. As she showed the blond the outside view, she noticed that her prince had somehow disappeared.

"I'll get the others," Thor promised. He darted past the princess in a mad rush to summon the other hunters.

Once Thor was gone, Natalia checked under the bed, wondering if Loki had hidden out of shame. "Loki?" she whispered. There was no sign of him anywhere. Natalia knew that he couldn't have left the room without her or Thor noticing him. It was like magic… "Loki?" she called out. She approached the window, only to find darkness.

"Were you expecting to find something?"

Natalia whipped her head around, only to have a cold hand grab her neck and clamp her mouth shut.

"Or someone?"

Natalia's eyes widened as she found herself face-to-face with a pair of blood-red orbs.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers, favers, and followers! I love you guys!**

Natalia kicked the woman restraining her in the shins.

"A feisty little princess, aren't you?" the witch taunted.

Natalia's teeth bit into the hag's inner palm, but she still refused to uncover her mouth. The witch forced open the bedroom window and Natalia let out a muffled scream as they both went flying through the air. Natalia squeezed her eyes shut and didn't open them until she could hear Loki's voice crying out for her.

"Natalia!" the prince gasped. "Unhand her, you beast!" he seethed.

Natalia was grateful that Loki had been unharmed. The three were now gathered deep in the woods, surrounded by a crowd of trees. The witch shoved Natalia forward, but Loki caught her before she fell.

"You're alright, Natalia," he whispered. Her body trembled beneath his embrace and he could feel just how frightened she was.

"What's happening?" she choked out, glaring back at the black-haired witch nearby. "Loki…"

"Does she not know?" the hag wondered. Her black dress dragged against the leaves as she stepped closer.

"You stand back!" Loki shouted. Why was Natalia getting dragged into this? He didn't even have a clue as to what was happening. For now, he needed to protect Natalia, even if it meant risking his secret.

The witch drew closer, her skin decayed and wrinkled. She noticed Loki summon a blade into his hand and smirked. "Do you intend to kill me, Prince?" she taunted.

Natalia turned her head and saw Loki's sharp dagger. He wasn't holding that before… "Loki?"

"Just like the poor, poor animal," the witch added.

Loki shoved past Natalia and charged at the monster, his blade pointed at her heart.

The witch easily dodged his attack and grabbed a fistful of his hair. "Come with me and I won't harm the girl," she hissed, keeping her voice hushed.

Loki swung the dagger and the blade made a clean slice across the witch's chest. "I have no business with your kind!"

"Oh, but you do," she taunted. "Don't you wish to be with your family?"

"My family is here!" Loki spat. "What the hell kind of madness are you sputtering?!"

"Is this _really _your family, Loki?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. Was she trying to get inside his head? It had to be a trap!

"Ordinary humans aren't born with magical abilities," the hag continued. "A witch is born a witch. Ignore whatever lies you've been taught, Loki Laufeyson."

"Laufeyson?" he breathed.

A flash of white light appeared from out of nowhere, blinding the witch and forcing her away from the prince.

Natalia looked around and saw a striking young woman with medium-length brown hair in a clearing. In her hands was a ball of white light that she was preparing to throw at the witch. She had to be a witch, but the light illuminating her face showed her chocolate brown eyes and young, flawless face. There was no way she was evil-she was saving Loki's life! The woman fired another attack and Natalia watched, unblinking.

The evil watch's skin began to sizzle from the ray's burning intensity. It wasn't long until her skin charred and she was reduced to a pile of ashes.

Thor came running towards the bright light, hammer in hand. He stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell upon the brunette angel of light. The fact that she had wielded magic wasn't what left Thor stunned. He had met this woman before. "Jane," he uttered in disbelief. She disappeared from sight just as he broke out into a mad dash towards her.

"Loki!" Natalia shouted once the enemy had been burned into nothingness. She sprinted to her fallen prince and fell to his side. "Loki, can you open your eyes?" she asked, gently shaking his shoulder.

He hummed in reply as he slowly opened his eyes. Loki still felt blinded and his memory was fuzzy from the sun-like intensity of the witch's attack. Other than that, he felt no severe pain. He was sure there was going to be a lump on the back of his head from when he smacked into the ground, though. Loki sat upright, only to be nearly knocked over again as Natalia flung herself at him.

"You need to stop scaring me," she whispered, her arms encircled around his neck.

"Danger seems to be quite fond of us," he lightly mused.

"I mean it, Loki," Natalia growled. She pulled away, glaring at him through narrowed eyes. "Is there something you're not telling me?" she prodded.

Loki felt a lump in his throat. Natalia was too clever to hide anything from. He knew that the day would come when she needed to know the truth.

"Why were we captured? The witch said that I didn't know something," the red-head continued. "You seemed…too friendly with it. What was it that I don't know?"

He recalled the witch rambling about Loki's 'true family.' "Can we discuss this later?" Loki asked as he saw his Brother approaching.

"Loki!" Natalia watched him stand on his feet and walk towards Thor.

"That was Jane!" Thor exclaimed. "Jane Foster-Loki, I know her!"

"What?" Loki had no clue what the fool was chattering about. "The witch?"

"No! The woman who saved you!"

Natalia nodded and joined the two brothers. "I saw her, too. She was a witch."

"I can assure you that Jane Foster is a good woman," Thor promised her. "She's not a witch-it isn't possible…"

"A good witch?" Natalia assumed. "Do those even exist?"

_A good witch. _Loki let his fiancé's assumption sink in. _He _practiced witchcraft but didn't possess the red eyes or rotting skin common to witches. Was it possible that _he _was a good witch? _'Ordinary humans aren't born with magical abilities,' _the witch told him. _'A witch is born a witch. Ignore whatever lies you've been taught, Loki Laufeyson.' Laufeyson. _That name returned to Loki's memory and sent a chill up his spine. Whoever that witch was, she knew something that he didn't. Something about his 'true family.' "We need to return home!" Loki urged the two. "Quickly!"

Natalia could sense her prince's urgency and was eager to return to the castle.

Thor escorted them back and sought after Heimdall to let him know about the witch. Loki wandered upstairs to his library with Natalia trailing behind him. "You should go back to bed," Loki said in a quiet tone. "It's late."

"Not until you talk to me," she threatened him.

"Tomorrow," he drawled. "I have matters that need tending to."

"This late at night?" Natalia scoffed. "Loki!" He walked ahead of her and Natalia grabbed his arm. "Loki!" she shouted. "What the hell are you doing? _Talk_ to me!"

"I said tomorrow!" the prince yelled back, his anger level doubling.

Natalia took a step back, shocked by his sudden outburst. Loki only raised his voice when something greatly angered him. Natalia didn't mean to be the reason for his anger. She only wanted to help him. "Fine," she muttered. "Good night."

As much as Loki wanted to let her go, he knew that would only add fuel to the fire. "Wait. Natalia…" She stopped and smugly eyed him. "Alright. You deserve to know the truth." He extended his arm and let her take his hand. "My wife deserves to know," he added as he showed her into the library. They sat down on the bench before the burning coals in the hearth. "I've honestly never met that woman in my life, Natalia," the prince began after taking a deep breath. "However, she knows me-perhaps my family has done wrong to her in the past. You and I seem to both be targets at the moment," he added.

"She mentioned me not knowing something," Natalia reminded him. "What is it? And Sleipnir! I'm sorry, Loki, but you threatened to kill that hag and she brought up Sleipnir! Why?"

Loki clenched his fists in his lap. "I…" She needed to know about his secret-he couldn't hide it any longer. Natalia didn't seem to believe in the notion of good witches, though, and he couldn't afford to scare her away. Once again, Loki needed to lie to his beloved. Lying was nothing but a bad habit, yet the fibs came so naturally to him. "You remember me telling you that Sleipnir hadn't been himself," Loki quietly began. "I grew frustrated in seeing him playing so nicely with the errand boy that I grew jealous." He kept his gaze focused on the wooden floor and channeled his inner sadness. "I…I wished he was dead-but I swear it was only out of jealousy!" He returned his attention to Natalia. "I swear I never meant it, Natalia. But… What if she overheard me saying that?! What if it's _my _fault that Sleipnir is dead?!" A tear escaped his eye and he knew he was fooling Natalia with his story.

"Loki," she breathed. "No. It's not your fault. None of it is." She embraced him, burying her face in his chest. "It's like you said-we're targets. We need to be careful…"

"Natalia, where will I be without you?" he murmured. "You mean everything to me-please know that."

Natalia felt her chest tighten at his words. The guilt of carrying Clint's child was slowly increasing with each passing day. She didn't know how she was supposed to live with the lie for the rest of her life. What if the baby looked like Clint? Would Loki still love her? Or was his love for her all a lie that would end all because of one night of betrayal… "And you're my everything," she promised. "Don't ever forget that."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to get some sleep." His lips met with hers for a brief moment. "I suggest you do the same."

Natalia nodded and accompanied Loki on the walk to his bedroom. She bid him goodnight before making her way to her own bed.

Loki closed his bedroom door before he transported himself back into his secret hideaway in the library. _Laufeyson. _Loki swore he wouldn't rest until he knew just who this Laufeyson character really was.


End file.
